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I said I would not defend the indefensible actions of our ancestors and I meant it. My beef is with today and the debasing of National Holiday celebrations .Do we use the occasion of our birthday celebrations to air all our dirty laundry and grievances from our past . . . or do we celebrate our birthday!!! PC sucks . . . and its adherents are rude offensive and obnoxious rabble-rousing spoilers. If there are itches that you want scratched pick the appropriate time and venue where something could at least theoretically be done about it!
It isn't about airing dirty laundry. National holidays are fine. But if they are expected to reflect a national heritage, it would be a fraudulent lie that they only reflect the good parts.
You would be correct in saying that we do simply celebrate our birthday, not air our laundry. But if the birthday celebrant murdered some of your family, or or stole your car you wouldn't exactly come to the party with a big smile and some presents.
Yes, it's just fine to let the birthday celebrant have his day. It's great that people can have a good time, and it's especially great if they all forget about the bad things he's done - in fact, i'm sure he would appreciate if everyone didn't mention these things.
It would be fine to celebrate his life. But what if the whole town takes a week off to celebrate his life? Are you gonna be an "obnoxious rabble-rousing spoiler" and not go celebrate? How dare you do such a thing?! Are you going to wait until the next day when everyone's hung over and gassed up to "scratch the itch"?
It's easy for "Americans" to brush off the "indefensible actions of their ancestors" and celebrate their heritage when they aren't the one living on a reservation where the main sources of income are usually from toxic waste dumping or a casino.
Why it's just as simple as tying a shoe to brush it off and say "Aww, it's just a few transgressions. Let's just think about the good stuff, and call that part the American tradition."
I'm not saying that we should cancel Thanksgiving. But when we are in our urban subdivisions eating turkey maybe there are a few more things we can be thankful for. Maybe we can think of all the people on the reservations and try to imagine why they are there instead of at our table like all the kiddy color pages at school. Maybe we can send these people some turkey and gravy with a big helping of warm American tradition. After all these people are part of the tradition right? Isn't that what all the little kiddies bring home? Isn't that they are told - like we were when we were six? Isn't that what they do in school? After they get done using the brown crayon, they finish coloring in the feather in the head-dress and the beads and the leather loincloth - isn't that what they do?
Have your thanksgiving, I encourage the family time. But maybe we should all take a bigger helping of thanks than ham.
Maybe we can send these people some turkey and gravy with a big helping of warm American tradition. After all these people are part of the tradition right?
THAT would be a good thing cleatis. I have to admit that I get pretty annoyed when I see these charities begging for money to send overseas to Africa, Bangladesh or whatever when we have 3rd world countries right here in our midst. I remember seeing that American Idol had something they called "Idol Gives Back" or something like that. They had celebrities go to Africa for photo ops and then send the money over there. I kept thinking to myself, "What about right here?" One trip to Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota would change people's perspectives. I guess a lot of Americans like to forget that we exist. I suppose it's easier for some that way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cleatis
Isn't that what all the little kiddies bring home? Isn't that they are told - like we were when we were six? Isn't that what they do in school? After they get done using the brown crayon, they finish coloring in the feather in the head-dress and the beads and the leather loincloth - isn't that what they do?
You know, it's funny that you mention that. I remember being a kid and every year the school had a Thanksgiving play. I ALWAYS had to be the Indian. The teachers would want me to dress in my powwow clothes even though these aren't even close to what the Wampanoag wore...hell they are modern on top of that! When I was little, I just could never understand why I wasn't allowed to be a Pilgrim. It wasn't until I got older that I got it.
One last thing about being a young Indian kid growing up in the 60s and 70s, I remember the elementary teachers always telling us to sit "Indian Style." I remember thinking, "What do you mean?" When I got older, it caused me to wonder if when the Europeans got here, they saw some NDNs sitting cross-legged on the ground and exclaimed, "Hey...look what those guys are doing! I never thought of that!"
It isn't about airing dirty laundry. National holidays are fine. But if they are expected to reflect a national heritage, it would be a fraudulent lie that they only reflect the good parts.
This is so much bogus nonsense and undeserved guilt-ridden absurdity. We have no culpability or responsibility for what our ancestors did or did not do. We do have a responsibility to the country that nurtures us and provides our freedoms and protections . . and we owe it the respect it earns for what it does and stands for TODAY, period. National holidays reflect our heritage and are part and parcel of our culture. They are positive events . . . not National guilt-fests or apologies for the religious aspects of our culture. People like you with your PC whining and moaning about past transgressions need to get a life and live in the PRESENT!
This is so much bogus nonsense and undeserved guilt-ridden absurdity. We have no culpability or responsibility for what our ancestors did or did not do. We do have a responsibility to the country that nurtures us and provides our freedoms and protections . . and we owe it the respect it earns for what it does and stands for TODAY, period. National holidays reflect our heritage and are part and parcel of our culture. They are positive events . . . not National guilt-fests or apologies for the religious aspects of our culture. People like you with your PC whining and moaning about past transgressions need to get a life and live in the PRESENT!
If we do not learn from the past than we shall be doomed to repeat it.
This is so much bogus nonsense and undeserved guilt-ridden absurdity. We have no culpability or responsibility for what our ancestors did or did not do. We do have a responsibility to the country that nurtures us and provides our freedoms and protections . . and we owe it the respect it earns for what it does and stands for TODAY, period. National holidays reflect our heritage and are part and parcel of our culture. They are positive events . . . not National guilt-fests or apologies for the religious aspects of our culture. People like you with your PC whining and moaning about past transgressions need to get a life and live in the PRESENT!
While I may not be personally responsible for what happened to the Native Americans, I do have a responsibility not to gloss over it and pretend it never happened. As Spotted says, gotta remember it to prevent it happening again.
While I may not be personally responsible for what happened to the Native Americans, I do have a responsibility not to gloss over it and pretend it never happened. As Spotted says, gotta remember it to prevent it happening again.
Well when it starts happening again . . . remind us . . . otherwise go sulk on your own and stop trying to ruin everyone's day because you are guilt-ridden and miserable.
Waa, Waa, Waa . . . I live in America a nation founded by religious puritans . . . Waa, Waa, Waa . . . so we have these awful National Holidays with religious origins (like the country) . . . Waa, Waa, Waaaaa!!! When are we going to change our history and get rid of these horrid religious origins?
Except of course, this nation was not founded by religious puritans (the pilgrims lived 150 years before the USA was even dreamt of). It was founded by Deist freethinkers who found Christianity and The Bible to be a farce.
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