As we approach another Thanksgiving, let us give thanks for all that we have and all that is good. Begun in 1674, the American holiday of Thanksgiving was originally conceived as a day for giving thanks to divine goodness. This holiday of gratefulness is now universally celebrated by all regardless of age, color, gender, physically challenged, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or weight.

While Thanksgiving was meant to be a time when we gather and express our gratitude for the goodness around us. . . okay, who are we kidding? 

While I personally love thanksgiving the reality is for far too many of us Thanksgiving has become a time of great stress, traffic jams, conflict, family arguments and loneliness. 

What do we really have to be grateful for? Crime is out of control, police are being shot at and killed, the Iraqi and Afghani conflicts continue, Iran looms, energy concerns abound, the dollar continues its downward slid, the PA legislature has yet to pass an anti-discrimination bill that includes sexual orientation and gender identity. PA Judge James Gardner Colins just threw out Pennsylvania's expanded hate-crimes law that included crimes committed on the basis of the victim's sexual orientation and physical disabilities, and New Jersey is still as corrupt as ever.

Despite all this, like Thanksgivings past, we should take just a few private moments to remember that by remaining conscious of all that we've been given, we are more able to weather life's difficult storms.

Here are a few things that QUEERtimes is grateful for this year:

For the men and women who join the thin blue line to defend and protect us everyday on our streets.   

For the thousands of community volunteers who give of themselves for the good and welfare of others. 

For all our community organizations who work tirelessly for the welfare of the queer community and the advancement of our civil rights. 

That Michael Nutter has been elected Mayor of Philadelphia.  The citizenry of this great city deserves and expects better leadership and a new direction away from the politics of old. 

That pro-marriage bills have been introduced in a record number of states in 2007, eleven at final count: Connecticut, New Hampshire, California, Illinois, New York, Washington, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Mexico. And that bills to create "civil union" or "partnership" in states as diverse as Oregon, Illinois, New Mexico, Washington, and New Hampshire. 

That a record 94% of FORTUNE 500 companies, and 49 of the FORTUNE 50, provide sexual orientation discrimination protection. 

That the Federal government is moving forward with anti-discrimination legislation; however, we do expect them to me more inclusive. 

Among the hustle and bustle of this year's Thanksgiving, let's take a moment to be mindful of those things we are grateful for and give thanks.