Much to be Thankful for as Americans

Americans recently gathered together to enjoy their Thanksgiving meals and express gratitude for their many blessings. Many families have a tradition of discussing all they have to be thankful for, which is a mindset we should adopt not just at this time of year but every day.

We are blessed to live in this great country which serves as a beacon of freedom and democracy for the world. The Constitution safeguards our liberties and sets out a system of representative government which empowers people to pursue greater opportunity.

This year’s presidential election demonstrated the power Americans have to directly impact their government. Americans said they wanted a different direction. Donald Trump became the president-elect, despite nearly every poll and national media outlet counting him out.

The American people determined the outcome of the election. This is a much too rare right and privilege in our world.

Following the election, we watched Hillary Clinton concede to Donald Trump. Right now, the Obama and Trump administrations are in the midst of a peaceful transition of power. We take this phenomenon for granted in America, but other nations are amazed by it.

In December 2000, I participated in an exchange to India. Everyone was riveted by the nonstop coverage of the contested election results between George W. Bush and Al Gore. Several local individuals commented to me how remarkable it was to see so much controversy but no violence. It was yet another example of the greatness of America.

In this country, we are also blessed to have the freedom to openly practice our faith and live in safety. Stories continue to flow out of the Middle East about the persecution of Christians and other faiths by ISIS. Human rights abuses are rampant in countries from Syria to North Korea to Cuba. We live in a dangerous world and face many global threats we must take seriously, but our day-to-day lives in America are marked by peace and stability.

We enjoy this safety and freedom because of the men and women serving in our Armed Forces. Many of them will not have the opportunity to spend the holidays with their families because they are stationed around the world, answering the call of duty. We must make it a priority to show our gratitude for their many sacrifices.

To thank our troops and our veterans, I am again helping to collect cards for the American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes program. Through this effort, we can send gratitude and holiday greetings from Nebraska to our service members, veterans, and their families.

My offices in Grand Island and Scottsbluff are serving as collection points for Nebraskans to drop off postage-free cards through Monday, December 5, 2016. Please use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member” or “To an American Hero,” and do not include your personal contact information or inserts of any kind. For more information and official guidelines for the program, please visit my website at AdrianSmith.house.gov/HolidayMailforHeroes.

Despite the challenges we face, I firmly believe we live in the greatest country in the world. It is an honor to represent you in Congress, and I am grateful to be both a Nebraskan and an American.