Time To Practice Smiling

Frankly I never thought “Thanksgiving” as we celebrate it was a “good” holiday, considering what we’re reminded to be grateful for: why be grateful for the slaughter of so many hundreds of thousands of people by incoming Europeans who wanted the land and resources for themselves? Not to share but to steal. “Native Americans” are ancestors of those Mongolians, Russians and Chinese peoples who WALKED onto the North American Continent across the Bering Land Bridge (now under water) and honored the land they lived on, they cherished and cared for it. The animals they hunted for food and clothing were never wasted and always given thanks. So on our “thanks-giving” who are WE thanking, and for what? I’m sorry, this may anger some but I feel strongly that it’s morally wrong to celebrate the murderous time when “pilgrims” from Europe came to the newly discovered world (as if it were uninhabited) and forced the tribes further and further into small places, killing them along the way. Many defended themselves, their families, and mostly the land they had cared for so well. When they saw the ruinous way of farming the Europeans had, of re-planting the same crops year after year, these good natives tried to help, to teach, to pass on years of knowledge about the land and her bounty. No one cared, no one listened, no one was interested in anything but what they could get for THEIR families. They didn’t realize you didn’t have to despoil everything to survive. They didn’t follow the fine example of the many tribes already living all over the continent. So what is this holiday for?

A fake smile, a huge table groaning with more food than a community of homeless could eat, a gathering of family who most times haven’t seen each other since the last “holiday”, no doubt there will be alot of unspoken thoughts and resentments, but we smile on like idiots who just want peace. I think that’s what the native tribes wanted too? Just to live in peace and harmony with their surroundings. They were willing to share.

Did you know there is no word in most Native tribal languages for “landowner”? The concept of OWNING the Good Mother earth was completely alien, just inconceivable to them. How they must’ve been shocked and outraged at the European way of wasting everything.

I chose to celebrate nothing, but as on other days we remember fallen innocents, I’ll remember the thousands and thousands of men, women and children who died needlessly so the greed of others could be satisfied. I’ll remember with shame.

But I'll remember.