President Barack Obama's Thanksgiving
proclamation released Tuesday included a reference to gay men and
lesbians.
“Thanksgiving offers each of us the
chance to count our many blessings – the freedoms we enjoy, the
time we spend with loved one, the brave men and women who defend our
Nation at home and abroad,” Obama wrote in the opening of his 2013
proclamation. “This tradition reminds us that no matter what our
background or beliefs, no matter who we are or who we love, at our
core we are first and foremost Americans.”
Obama has frequently used the phrase
“who we love” to reference gays and lesbians.
Obama also encouraged Americans to
“give thanks for all we have received in the past year, express
appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own, and share our
bounty with others.”
“This Thanksgiving Day, let us forge
deeper connections with our loved ones. Let us extend our gratitude
and our compassion. And let us lift each other up and recognize, in
the oldest spirit of this tradition, that we rise or fall as one
Nation, under God.”