No Thanks, No Giving
As I mentioned in Random Fact #12, I don't celebrate Thanksgiving...or for that matter Columbus Day or the Fourth of July, as longtime readers are aware.
The next person's mileage varies obviously but to me it would be the equivalent of Africans commemorating the Fantastic Cruise we took to the "New" World.
I usually hate this time of year for another reason. I'm usually in a pissed off mood because of the grief I catch from people about my beliefs. Typically I'm asked a lot about my plans for Thanksgiving and I'm usually forced to explain my reasons. Now loved ones and strangers are usually respectful . And while I'm respectful towards others and don't pass judgment, unfortunately I don't always get the same in return.
As I explained to one friend last year, if it was simply a case of "What are your plans for Thanskgiving....oh I didn't know you didn't celebrate Thanksgiving...I can understand your perspective..." and left it at that, everything would be fine.
But usually when I explain why I don't celebrate Thanksgiving, too often it's usually coupled with: "Well I don't celebrate it for thoooose reasons" in the context of How Dare You Bring History Into This. Or my favorite, "I'm 1/72th Cherokee princess so I deem that it's not only okay but stupid for you not to celebrate."
I get that not everyone celebrates it on historical grounds and many people interpret the holiday in their own way. Such is their prerogative. To each their own and I respect that. I truly do. And I'm not passing judgment. But for me (and again I speak only for myself), I cannot in good conscience celebrate the holiday because of the historical roots. I don't need Thanksgiving to be reminded to be grateful or thankful. I can use any of the other holidays: Christmas, New Years, even Halloween. Or I can just be thankful on the other 364 days out of the year. And I also get fed with being talked down too by people as to why my beliefs are silly. So when you've dealt with this shit for years from family, co-workers, and people shoving Thanksgiving in your face with no acknowledgement whatsoever of the First Americans who were slaughtered, and well you can imagine how infuriating it can be for me.
A lot of times, I bite my tongue just to keep the peace but when the issue is forced, I will not apologize for my beliefs or the way that I feel and if people take issue with me ruining their festive holiday cheer, I'm going to remind them that they asked. The truth is most people don't want to be educated. They don't like to be reminded that world is full of injustice or that people suffer. They don't want to be shaken or pulled from their comfort zones. And maybe sometimes people need to see anger. I think part of the problem is they like dealing with POCs only when we're non-assuming and non-threatening. Maybe they need to be jarred and pulled so they can understand what we've endured for 500+ years. I think there's a time to teach, a time to express outrage and a time to even take up arms. There's a time to stand one's ground even if he's standing alone. But that's just me.
This is an excellent must-read on the truth of the holiday.
The following pretty much sums up my feelings on the holiday.
For many Indian people, “Thanksgiving” is a time of mourning, of remembering how a gift of generosity was rewarded by theft of land and seed corn, extermination of many from disease and gun, and near total destruction of many more from forced assimilation. As currently celebrated in this country, “Thanksgiving” is a bitter reminder of 500 years of betrayal returned for friendship.
Case in point.....
The next person's mileage varies obviously but to me it would be the equivalent of Africans commemorating the Fantastic Cruise we took to the "New" World.
I usually hate this time of year for another reason. I'm usually in a pissed off mood because of the grief I catch from people about my beliefs. Typically I'm asked a lot about my plans for Thanksgiving and I'm usually forced to explain my reasons. Now loved ones and strangers are usually respectful . And while I'm respectful towards others and don't pass judgment, unfortunately I don't always get the same in return.
As I explained to one friend last year, if it was simply a case of "What are your plans for Thanskgiving....oh I didn't know you didn't celebrate Thanksgiving...I can understand your perspective..." and left it at that, everything would be fine.
But usually when I explain why I don't celebrate Thanksgiving, too often it's usually coupled with: "Well I don't celebrate it for thoooose reasons" in the context of How Dare You Bring History Into This. Or my favorite, "I'm 1/72th Cherokee princess so I deem that it's not only okay but stupid for you not to celebrate."
I get that not everyone celebrates it on historical grounds and many people interpret the holiday in their own way. Such is their prerogative. To each their own and I respect that. I truly do. And I'm not passing judgment. But for me (and again I speak only for myself), I cannot in good conscience celebrate the holiday because of the historical roots. I don't need Thanksgiving to be reminded to be grateful or thankful. I can use any of the other holidays: Christmas, New Years, even Halloween. Or I can just be thankful on the other 364 days out of the year. And I also get fed with being talked down too by people as to why my beliefs are silly. So when you've dealt with this shit for years from family, co-workers, and people shoving Thanksgiving in your face with no acknowledgement whatsoever of the First Americans who were slaughtered, and well you can imagine how infuriating it can be for me.
A lot of times, I bite my tongue just to keep the peace but when the issue is forced, I will not apologize for my beliefs or the way that I feel and if people take issue with me ruining their festive holiday cheer, I'm going to remind them that they asked. The truth is most people don't want to be educated. They don't like to be reminded that world is full of injustice or that people suffer. They don't want to be shaken or pulled from their comfort zones. And maybe sometimes people need to see anger. I think part of the problem is they like dealing with POCs only when we're non-assuming and non-threatening. Maybe they need to be jarred and pulled so they can understand what we've endured for 500+ years. I think there's a time to teach, a time to express outrage and a time to even take up arms. There's a time to stand one's ground even if he's standing alone. But that's just me.
Click to viewThis is an excellent must-read on the truth of the holiday.
The following pretty much sums up my feelings on the holiday.
For many Indian people, “Thanksgiving” is a time of mourning, of remembering how a gift of generosity was rewarded by theft of land and seed corn, extermination of many from disease and gun, and near total destruction of many more from forced assimilation. As currently celebrated in this country, “Thanksgiving” is a bitter reminder of 500 years of betrayal returned for friendship.
Case in point.....