Ever since my mom got beat by George Bush Jr. we've congregated for Thanksgiving down at Padre Island, near Harlingen, Texas. We liked to think of this gathering at the beach as the Hyannis Port of the South - just like the Kennedys we had an extended family, touch football games, and were obsessed with politics.
It has always been convenient that Thanksgiving falls so neatly post-election, almost always by which time the major electoral contests have been called. There's the odd year where we actively follow a yet to be determined cliffhanger, so this year we'll all be counting on the ability of Al Franken's first rate lawyer Marc Elias to convince the Minnesota election board that yes, the whole idea is that we make our best faith effort to count every vote.
Over the years the Thanksgiving rituals have become positively Pavlovian with our extended group of family and friends. Jalapeno cheese grits are required: a post-feast movie (this year -- Quantum of Solace); the Turkey Bowl touch football game; and the world's most competitive Charades game where inevitably someone ends up in tears. There's also a mad dash to Matamoros to stimulate the Mexican economy through drinking margaritas and buying pottery we absolutely will not be able to get back on the plane.
But the main event each year is the Thanksgiving parade, a political satire of sorts, with appropriate poorly executed costumes, luggage carts transformed as floats, kids and animals, Santa and lots of wigs. The parade was primarily designed for our own entertainment, but over the years, word has spread and usually there is a decent turnout at our beachfront condo to observe, if not applaud, the spectacle. (One year two strangers dressed in full pilgrim regalia appeared on the scene to join in.)
Given our political bent there are always great moments over the previous year that scream out for a featuring role -- Florida voters and Hanging Chads, Tom DeLay's indictment, Mission Accomplished. Not surprisingly, every year, someone always gets to wear the prison stripes and the judicial robe.
Most of our children have dressed up as a presidential candidate (think Dennis Kucinich) at one time or another, and most years, the parade is our collective chance to 'revue' and start over. As progressives, the election outcome is most always a disappointment, and its important to laugh or else we would surely give up and become organic farmers.
Although my mother passed away two years ago, we still get together and carry on our traditions. But for the first time, I don't think there will be a parade. God knows there is enough material.
But the good news of this November overwhelms the rest -- instead, our cynicism abated, we will rejoice that our kids experienced winning at a lot earlier age than we did. They all volunteered, phoned and knocked, some even voted for the first time. We are living at a moment in history where the world has changed, fundamentally and for even the most hard-bitten political junkie, it is a marvelous to be part of this change. So we'll save the costumes for next year, or the year after -- and instead, just give thanks. Its what mom would want.
Read more Thanksgiving posts from HuffPost bloggers
Follow Cecile Richards on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cecilerichards
I had the honor of hearing your mother speak at a fundraiser for a YWCA here in Indiana about fifteen years ago. She spoke of how we as women need to support and encourage the educational goals of young women, as well as their goals of becoming successful and happy spouses and mothers.
Ann spoke glowingly of her four children, two sons pursuing careers in law and two daughters active in the social services. This phrase has stayed with me ever since: "My sons are making money, and my daughters are making the world a better place to live."
Ann reminds me to shoot for the stars but to remember at the end of the day what is really important. Blessings to you and your family!
:o)
Coming from a 3rd+ generation Texas woman...
Your mom was a true Texas lady which a wonderful breed of woman who is unfortunately fast coming extinct. Not only did she has have the necessary big helmet hair that a tornado couldn't dislodge, she also had the grit, sass and grace needed to stand up to good ol' boys like Claytie. I wish I could say that good ol boys were becoming extinct as well.
Every time someone disparages Texas I offer you mom up as an example of what is great and special about Texas. She offered to us girls growing an alternative example of what a feminist could be.
Change has come,
Tom
Great Lady, darn good governor, and I miss her too. I'll toast one to her just for your occasion. Thanks for sharing a very fond memory with us.
foot
President Richards would have been a million times better than President Bush.
Thanks again!
and here's one for Molly and Ann- may those two towering Texans represent the best of what the state could be capable of.
I just want to thank you for allowing all of to have the opportunity to remember your wonderful mother on this holiday.
I have a DC story for you involving your mother:
After spending an evening at the bars, a dear friend of mine, who also is no longer with us, encountered your mother on a sidewalk here in DC. Much to the amazement of her companions, as well as the rest of us, my friend immediately recognized your mother and bounded down the sidewalk screaming "Ann Richards! Ann Richards!" He threw himself all over your mother, hugging and kissing her.
While the rest of were blown away with this drunken outburst, your mother seemed to enjoy every second of it!
I'll never forget her smile.
Well, we don't have that, but we have something so thrilling and history bending, that this is indeed a day of pure thanks and rejoicing.
The other day, it crossed my mind that Ann Richards, who sat at card tables in front of country grocery stores, in the days of the Poll Tax, trying to encourage black citizens to vote, must be smiling and weeping glorious tears, that in THIS day, a black family is going to live in the White House!