Celebrating with family and friends, overeating, shopping for bargains and endless football games is what this weekend has become famous for. After all, it is the official start of the holiday season.
Thanksgiving has always been a time when we try to make lives better and reflect on what we have to be thankful for.
This year Thanksgiving has even more meaning as the Jewish Holiday of Chanukah is on the same day – something that will not happen for another 70,000 years.
I am thankful for the resolve in Sullivan County residents to always help those in need. When a disaster occurs we always put our differences aside and unite as one big family.
Our firefighters, ambulance workers, members of civic and religious organizations continually go above and beyond their call of duty for us.
We must be thankful to all the members of our law enforcement community and those in the military who constantly risk their lives for us. These people have a spirit in them that words cannot express.
Thank you to our hard working underpaid prosecutors who could earn so much more in the private sector. Thank you to all of our hard working members of our Judiciary.
Thank you to our dedicated Sullivan County workforce.
The problems facing Sullivan County are very real, and it has become increasingly hard for people to enjoy a quality of life here. Hopefully that will soon change.
Although I am often critical of our elected officials and their sometimes lackluster performance, I am equally grateful for all they do. I am thankful that our electorate will not allow party affiliation be their determining factor in electing people to office.
I am thankful to be afforded the opportunity to discuss the issues facing us on a weekly basis. What I am not thankful for are those people who attempt to defame and slander rather than stick to the issues.
There are those who tried very hard to silence and muzzle these columns from being published, but they proved wrong. When one pens columns such as ‘The Mouth That Roars” you need thick skin and to let all it run off your shoulder.
As you know, “The Mouth That Roars” column took an exciting new direction this year with the creation of SullivanCountyPost.com, email blasts, and the vastly popular Facebook group Sullivan County Post. Hopefully the “Mouth That Roars” column and the Sullivan County Post Facebook group assist in creating honest dialogue throughout Sullivan County.
As family and friends gather during the next several weeks we should also remember that the holidays are not a joyous of time of year for many people. There are those who are alone and tend to become sad and lonely. Depression is known to occur more frequently, as the days get shorter and it becomes colder. We must be thankful to all of the charitable organizations that are there for those in need.
Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers providing thanksgiving meals to those who otherwise would have none.
Thanksgiving has become a difficult time of year for me since the horrific sexual assault and tragic passing of my developmentally disabled sister Paula. I pray that “Paula’s Law” mandating surveillance cameras be placed outside of all state run group homes and day programs will one day become law to protect our most vulnerable.
The holiday season is a time we should embrace all fellow human beings no matter their race, creed, color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. Let’s be thankful for what we have, and share the joy with those around us.
This is my first Thanksgiving and Chanukah without my beloved Kiki. She was always there to comfort me in my time of need and brought me such tremendous joy. Kiki gave me nothing but unconditional love – something many humans need to learn. I am forever grateful and thankful for all the years we shared together.
Dudley, George, and Gracie are thankful for their loving home and they asked me to remind everyone to please leave out an extra bowl of food for that stray cat.
Let’s keep the spirit of thanksgiving alive all year long. Enjoy the holidays and Happy Thanksgiving and Chanukah.
Bill Liblick has made a name for himself on National TV Talk Shows where he spouted his outspoken views from the front row. Now he offers you his opinion every week in the “MOUTH THAT ROARS” Column in THE SULLIVAN COUNTY POST.