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jackshoegazerIt's Turkey Day here en Los Estados Unidos. Also known as Thanksgiving. I heard a guy on the radio yesterday calling it Illegal Immigration Day, His theory seemed to be that the first Europeans that came here were illegal immigrants and the native Americans could have kicked us out. But they didn't. They let us stay, fed us corn and turkey and we survived and prospered. If one takes this metaphor to it's logical extreme though, one would see that the illegal immigrants (the colonists) eventually killed or imprisoned an entire continent of native people. Something like this could ruin Thanksgiving.
However, it's the spirit of that first Thanksgiving, that we would live and share with these natives, that we would have a mutually beneficial relationship with them, that saves this holiday from the same brush that has tarnished other holidays. Yes, we totally fucked over the natives eventually, but that one day (actually it was three days) held a spark of potential of something good and glorious. So not only should we celebrate the harvest (something so alien to us since we're so divorced from the source of our food) and give thanks for everything we have (rather than whining about what we don't ), but we should also mourn that spark that died, that potential that was never fulfilled.
I'm thankful that we've learned from the terrible events that followed in this country, and realized that we can settle disputes without killing and war, that we can live with others unlike ourselves, without manipulation and exploitation. Oh. Um, nevermind.
Seriously, I am thankful for my son, Ethan who is more handsome, intelligent, and creative than I was at his age; for my girlfriend, Jacquelyn who is everything a loving and supportive partner is supposed to be; for my father, as flawed as he is, has always tried to do the right thing; for my friends, even the ones who I don't talk to anymore - their presence in my past is enough to be thankful for; for my great apartment, though not for some of my craptastic neighbors; for my excellent bicycle which has been retired to the basement for the winter; for my computer and the internet which is actually a vacuum cleaner for boredom,; for my health, while a bit touchy sometimes, is actually quite good; for my cats who are actually reincarnated gods who I must serve unfailingly; and finally for The United States of America, a country founded on a set or principles so brilliant, free and noble, that no one could ever hope to actually live up to them, and yet we try, always striving to be the best, even when blatant crooks have hijacked the whole show and attempt to tear it all down.
I am thankful for my ability to say this and for your willingness to read it. I am thankful for your comments, opinions, love, support, drama, and snark. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
However, it's the spirit of that first Thanksgiving, that we would live and share with these natives, that we would have a mutually beneficial relationship with them, that saves this holiday from the same brush that has tarnished other holidays. Yes, we totally fucked over the natives eventually, but that one day (actually it was three days) held a spark of potential of something good and glorious. So not only should we celebrate the harvest (something so alien to us since we're so divorced from the source of our food) and give thanks for everything we have (rather than whining about what we don't ), but we should also mourn that spark that died, that potential that was never fulfilled.
I'm thankful that we've learned from the terrible events that followed in this country, and realized that we can settle disputes without killing and war, that we can live with others unlike ourselves, without manipulation and exploitation. Oh. Um, nevermind.
Seriously, I am thankful for my son, Ethan who is more handsome, intelligent, and creative than I was at his age; for my girlfriend, Jacquelyn who is everything a loving and supportive partner is supposed to be; for my father, as flawed as he is, has always tried to do the right thing; for my friends, even the ones who I don't talk to anymore - their presence in my past is enough to be thankful for; for my great apartment, though not for some of my craptastic neighbors; for my excellent bicycle which has been retired to the basement for the winter; for my computer and the internet which is actually a vacuum cleaner for boredom,; for my health, while a bit touchy sometimes, is actually quite good; for my cats who are actually reincarnated gods who I must serve unfailingly; and finally for The United States of America, a country founded on a set or principles so brilliant, free and noble, that no one could ever hope to actually live up to them, and yet we try, always striving to be the best, even when blatant crooks have hijacked the whole show and attempt to tear it all down.
I am thankful for my ability to say this and for your willingness to read it. I am thankful for your comments, opinions, love, support, drama, and snark. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
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Date: 2007-11-22 03:51 pm (UTC)Happy Thanksgiving!!
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Date: 2007-11-22 07:49 pm (UTC)Amen. I hope to give you and yours a hug in real life one of these days.
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Date: 2007-11-22 07:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-22 10:15 pm (UTC)