But! What's the harm? Or, how to come up with an internal mind-contortion that makes it all okaskwhyNovember 24 2005, 19:28:40 UTC
Oh shit, I really should not read debunkingwhite without a barf bag handy.
From one of the white members, about Thanksgiving, a comment to a recent post:
You know...the holiday of Thanksgiving has never meant "Pilgrims and Indians" to me, not since I was about six; although I've never known all the details till recently, I was old enough at that point to realize that there was something a little too sugary about the tale of friendship that we were being told. But I also don't feel guilty about being happy that I have a couple days off from work and an excuse to cook a lot of food (and, when I can, which is rarely, see my family).
And I also don't feel guilty about thinking it's okay to have a day to give thanks. I do feel bad -- not personally guilty, but "white guilt"-y, if you will, that it's based on a damn vile lie. But I also think that this nation, like many others, would be having such a holiday even without the lie, and that's what I choose to celebrate.
I don't think that's white privilege speaking, though of course, it's hard to say. I don't think it is, though, because I think that giving thanks is a good thing. I'll put up any number of disclaimers about the sugary lie...but I'm not going to stop celebrating what is, essentially, a harvest feast at its very deepest roots, and one that my religion very much mandates.
Oh holy holy crap. The mind-twisting in this is breathtaking, ugly, eerie in its ugliness. It actually makes me a little more sick to my stomach than when I have already been today. I know it's useful for me to understand how this shit works, but ooooooh, this is seriously ugly -- not just the comment, but as your post points out, the whole thing.
From one of the white members, about Thanksgiving, a comment to a recent post:
You know...the holiday of Thanksgiving has never meant "Pilgrims and Indians" to me, not since I was about six; although I've never known all the details till recently, I was old enough at that point to realize that there was something a little too sugary about the tale of friendship that we were being told. But I also don't feel guilty about being happy that I have a couple days off from work and an excuse to cook a lot of food (and, when I can, which is rarely, see my family).
And I also don't feel guilty about thinking it's okay to have a day to give thanks. I do feel bad -- not personally guilty, but "white guilt"-y, if you will, that it's based on a damn vile lie. But I also think that this nation, like many others, would be having such a holiday even without the lie, and that's what I choose to celebrate.
I don't think that's white privilege speaking, though of course, it's hard to say. I don't think it is, though, because I think that giving thanks is a good thing. I'll put up any number of disclaimers about the sugary lie...but I'm not going to stop celebrating what is, essentially, a harvest feast at its very deepest roots, and one that my religion very much mandates.
Click here to go to the comment itself
Oh holy holy crap. The mind-twisting in this is breathtaking, ugly, eerie in its ugliness. It actually makes me a little more sick to my stomach than when I have already been today. I know it's useful for me to understand how this shit works, but ooooooh, this is seriously ugly -- not just the comment, but as your post points out, the whole thing.
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