8 Reasons NOT To Give Thanks This Thanksgiving
8 Reasons NOT To Give Thanks This Thanksgiving(01 of10)
Normally, the last Thursday in November is a time to celebrate our forbearers arrival in this land and give thanks for the ensuing bounty. Here are eight reasons not to:
1) America was discovered by accident (02 of10)
As many people know, Christopher Columbus discovered the Bahamas not America. In fact, Columbus never intended to discover the new world; he was looking for a cost effective route to India. This isn't the worst news ever, but it does call into question the whole concept of Columbus Day not to mention our founding mythology. Additionally, many high school history texts neglect to mention that the Vikings discovered North America at least 300 years before Columbus arrived. Bottom line, Columbus was a lucky latecomer.
2) The Pilgrims were not "first" (03 of10)
Many European nations including France, Spain, Portugal, and yes, England, were fishing off Cape Cod nearly 200 years before the Pilgrims showed up. In other words, the Pilgrim's journey wasn't exactly path breaking unless you like creation myths. Why, heck, when they arrived in the new world they were greeted by an English speaking Indian named Samoset. This should have tipped them off.
3) The new world was colonized by religious zealots(04 of10)
Yes, the Pilgrims left England to escape religious persecution, but the truth is they were religious fundamentalists whose brand of extremism was rejected in their home country. As a result, they fled to a place with virtually no Europeans (which does not suggest an accommodating nature). Nevertheless, we're taught the Pilgrims helped establish religious tolerance in the new world. This couldn't be further from the truth. The Pilgrims were about as religiously intolerant as they come.
4) A nation founded upon genocide(05 of10)
Though the first generation of Pilgrims got along with the Indians, their sons and daughters soon enacted policies stripping the Indians of their land. Subsequent generations took a more draconian approach codifying treaties designed to wipe the Indians off the face of the earth. In fact, it was government policy. When Teddy Roosevelt said, "I don't go so far as to think that the only good Indians are dead Indians, but I believe nine out of ten are, and I shouldn't like to inquire too closely into the case of the tenth," he did an excellent job summarizing early America's loathing for its indigenous population.
5) A nation that prospered under slavery(06 of10)
The United States imported more than half a million slaves over the course of its history. Once Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin this "free" labor proved critical to growing our southern agricultural base. Otherwise the farming of huge tracts of cotton would have been economically unfeasible. We like to think of ourselves as "one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all," but it wasn't a good start.
6) We've spent more time killing one another than died in World Wars I and I, combined(07 of10)
Specifically, 620,000 soldiers died during the American Civil War, that's 16% more than the 522,000 Americans who died "making the world safe for democracy" during World War I, and fighting the Nazis and Japanese during World War II. Given the Civil War's astronomical death toll, we're not exactly "one nation, indivisible."
7) Though America prides itself on being a classless society, it's not. (08 of10)
The 19th century's industrial revolution brought many benefits, including a dramatically improved lifestyle, but it also created serious economic class divisions which persist today. In fact, the 21st century information revolution has accelerated these divisions to the point that we face the greatest economic disparity in our nation's history. Yes, we have the iPhone but food stamps are endangered. As George Orwell suggested, all men are created equal but some are more equal than others.
8) Thanksgiving is a political holiday(09 of10)
The reason we celebrate Thanksgiving is that President Abraham Lincoln needed a means of uniting a nation torn by civil war. Thanksgiving was an uncontroversial way to do it. But even Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation had a political spin to it. Just read the following: "In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity...harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict." That was a pretty big if back in 1863 when brother was killing brother.
(10 of10)
Oh, and by the way, the Pilgrims celebrated Thanksgiving in July not November--yet another reason to think carefully about what we are celebrating. You might just be in for a surprise.
Sources for slides:
3) http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/Americas-True-History-of-Religious-Tolerance.html
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.