I chose to be positive, to be happy, and to celebrate and give thanks for what I have and the people in my life.
::steps down from pulpit::
Good points Hale, youre definitely not wrong from "a certain point of view", but I must counter with my own near hippy view point. . .
To insinuate that the tribes were victims of civilization seems to me to be a bit arrogant, suggesting that the civilization the native tribes already had themselves was not sufficient to meet their needs as a people for enrichment, shared culture, moral values, trade and such.
There was already civilization here, it's simply that the "new coming" civilization to the land was much more organized and effective in terms of instituting "take over" policies.
Personally, I find the manner of existence and culture of the Native Americans a far more rewarding and healthy existence for human beings than that which we currently reside in today. That being said, do I want to go live in a tribe in a teepee and follow buffalo around? No. I value science and pursuit of empirical truth and bask in the idle ease of a technologically saturated life, but the society the Native Americans had before we intruded upon it was no less valuable than the society we whitewashed and imposed upon the land and that has arisen today.
Yes Thanksgiving is symbolic for much more than simply historical references or believed atrocities that accompany those references, I enjoy spending time with my family and loved ones and reflecting on the worth of it all, but I never like to allow myself to forget that every ounce of prosperity is at someone elses misfortune either.
The world is a terrible terrible place, awful things happen to many many innocent people. We all reap the rewards of these terrible things and raped innocence in some degree in the historical context. I'd rather reflect and wish for those who've been gotten over on than focus on the fact that it's easy for me to fill a dinner table and gorge as a result of the sins of my fore fathers.
That's all not to say that any approach/mentality is wrong, it's simply my mentality. Not that I don't love a 4 day paid vacation, but that's the soulless capitalist whore in me.
EDIT: So there's no sarcasm or falsehood in my wish for a Happy Thanksgiving to all, but I also strictly oppose a sugar coated worldly outlook. It could have just as easily been the identities we've grown to become that were born two hundred years ago in a land that would become known as America, and then, what exactly would we have to be thankful for today?
It's the inherent offensiveness that goes with celebrating Thanksgiving without considering the morally reprehensible activities that got us to this point that I am opposed to. But on a personal level, I truly do wish us all a great Thanksgiving! =)
