While President Trump is pardoning two turkeys for Thanksgiving, every one of us can exercise that same presidential power by choosing a non-violent Thanksgiving observance.

And here are some other good reasons:

• You can brag about pardoning a turkey - like Trump (or not).

• You will stay awake for your entire favorite football game.

• Your sensible vegetarian kid won't have to boycott the family dinner.

• Plant-based holiday roasts don’t have to carry government warning labels.

• You won’t have to call Poultry Hotline to keep your family out of the hospital.

• Your body will appreciate a holiday from the fat, cholesterol, and hormones.

• You won’t sweat the environment and food resources devastation guilt trip.

• You won’t spend a sleepless night wondering how the turkey lived and died.

Seriously, this Thanksgiving, let’s give thanks for our good fortune, health, and happiness with a life-affirming, cruelty-free feast of plant-based holiday roast, vegetables, fruits, and grains.

Our own dinner will feature a store-bought plant-based holiday roast, mashed potatoes, stuffed squash, candied yams, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. An internet search on "vegetarian Thanksgiving" is getting us more recipes than we could possibly use.

Noah Crawford

Potsdam