On this Thanksgiving Day, I have lots to be thankful for.  I live in a wonderful country, have a wonderful family, and enjoy freedoms that many in this world do not.  This Thanksgiving, I will sit down to a beautiful meal prepared by those I love.  God has given me much to be thankful for, and I am grateful.

I wonder if those on the left will be celebrating this day in the same spirit.  It seems that no matter how much they have or how many freedoms they enjoy, for progressives, it is never enough.  For them, the world is an awful place, America is an immoral country, and this special day will pass with no expression of gratitude to their Creator.  It saddens me to see it, but that view of existence is more prevalent now than at any time since the 1960s.

In the classic song "Paint It Black" (1966), Mick Jagger sings of a sad individual who wants to turn everything he sees black.  In the world he imagines, there are no flowers, no summer dresses, and no cars other than black ones.  In the end, the singer comes to see that it's his own heart that is black and that he is responsible for the emptiness that he sees.

Jagger and Keith Richards may have intended the song as a lament for a desperately unhappy person who despises everything he sees, but for many, the popular song was a celebration of anarchy and rebellion.  It perfectly suited the angry mood of the time.  With its string of assassinations, violent protests, rioting, and political bombings, the decade of the late '60s was the most unsettled time in modern American history.

Many young men and women had painted the world black, and a substantial number of these damaged souls never grew up.  They're still out there, imagining the world a terrible place and finding meaning only in resistance.  A new generation has followed them into negation.  Jagger might just as well have been singing of the violence of Antifa protests.  The typical Antifa protester wouldn't be seen in anything except black, and despite the Antifa ("anti-fascist") designation, those raised fists look a lot like fascist salutes, especially like those of modern-day fascists.

In the half-century since Jagger's song appeared, a vast culture of antagonism has arisen in the West.  That cynical culture has spread to politics, media, and schools everywhere.  Although 80% of Americans still profess to believe in God, that still leaves 20% who are atheistic or agnostic, and 56% of those who do believe say they believe in a biblical conception of God – with 45% of Democrats believing so.  Without a God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and good, where do we stand?  On our own.

"On our own" is a difficult place to be, especially during the holidays.  It leaves one without the deep-seated faith in the goodness of life that supplies confidence and hope.  Lacking that faith, one is prone to question whether life really is meaningful and good; one may begin to believe that the world is simply a forsaken place with one faction struggling against another.  Lacking that traditional "Sea of Faith," as Matthew Arnold put it, there exists "neither joy, nor love, nor light / Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain."  Without faith in the goodness of life, existence is reduced to "a darkling plain ... Where ignorant armies clash by night."

There is plenty of evidence of "ignorant armies" in American society today – and by "ignorant," Arnold meant "faithless," not "uneducated."  Defiance has infected even the Washington press corps to the point that it seems incapable of affording the president of the United States the courtesy of agreeing to sit down when requested to do so.  Respect for the presidency, as well as for police, teachers, ministers, and other sources of authority, is necessary to an ordered society.  Likewise, the fundamental rights, including the right of free speech and the right to own property, are essential to our survival.  Without a broad consensus as to the importance of these basic rights, society reverts to a bloody hell of anarchy and violence.  This is the disorder that Arnold foretold.

Thus, it is disturbing when we hear political leaders speak of seizing and redistributing income and when we see them campaign against the right to bear arms or the right of citizens to speak out against corruption in Washington.  Our political leaders are supposed to defend our country and its constitution – they are sworn to do so – but many now campaign as outspoken socialists and advocate violence against conservatives.  It is especially disturbing to be told that "demographics are destiny" and that the future "belongs" to minorities because they have the numbers to prevail.  Is one to imagine that future elections should devolve into racial contests – and that liberals are celebrating this future? 

The idea that nothing connects us aside from race, gender, national origin, or sexual orientation is manifestly untrue, but it seems to be what progressives are pinning their hopes on.  In fact, most Americans still share the bonds of faith, liberty, and a quality of optimism that is uniquely ours.  President Trump is appealing to these bonds when he speaks of America "winning, and winning again," or when he calls for an end to "fake news" and the cynical culture of antagonism that pervades the media.  While large numbers of Americans do see the world as a dark and faithless place – a place where political factions clash by night – most of us on this beautiful Thanksgiving Day will join family and friends in celebrating our shared faith in the goodness of Creation.

The future is not dark, despite what radicals like Elizabeth Warren may think.  Even Mick Jagger (net worth: $360 million) appears to be more concerned with his personal well-being than with revolution, and rightly so.  It is true that America is seriously divided, but there is hope in that a majority of Americans still retain their faith in the goodness of life, and others are returning to that faith.

Along with turkey and television, Thanksgiving is a time for reflection.  Life is good in America, and our future is far from dark.  Despite the noise and the protests – those ignorant armies clashing by night – there is much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Day.  Celebrate and be happy.

Jeffrey Folks is the author of many books and articles on American culture including Heartland of the Imagination (2011).