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Thanksgiving: A Time Of Mourning?
The Seattle School District is suggesting, in a recent memo, that Thanksgiving may not be a time of gratitude and giving thanks, but rather a time of mourning and that teachers should be prepared to discuss this with their students.
The memo refers teachers to a website that offers suggestions on ways to be sensitive of diverse experiences and perspectives. The referenced site identifies eleven myths about Thanksgiving.
The myths are from the Native American's perspective and encourages teachers to particularly see Myth #11: THANKSGIVING IS A HAPPY TIME. "No," the teachers are told, "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 many of you who read this column know, I grew up among them in the Yakima Valley. I went to school with and was friends to many of that heritage. I have both understanding and empathy for their challenges and plight.
I personally think there is something bigger at play here. This position may well be "fostering " barriers between students rather than removing them. However to do otherwise, the Seattle Schools would be in the position of supporting something with religious connotations and something that is traditional. To the secularist, this may be equal to or worse than the level of betrayal that is propagated through our public education system under the guise of being sensitive, tolerant, diverse and well informed.
Lars Larson, well known talk show host on KXL 750 in Portland and heard daily on nearly 30 stations in Oregon and Southwest Washington from 11A.M. to 4 P.M. and also nationwide every week day evening, posted the actual memo on his web site. We have attached it to this column. (Read Memo.)
Sensitivities and tolerance are among the virtues taught by biblical Christianity, however, when they are stood on their head, they can easily be used for most any agenda. In this case, given their record, one wonders if the Seattle schools really care about the Native Americans or simply see yet another opportunity to diminish one of traditional America's meaningful holidays.
________________
Gary Randall
President
Faith & Freedom
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11 Comments:
There's some truth to what the article said, in that the colonists' treatment of the Indians was shameful. However, to blame that on Thanksgiving is like blaming slavery on the Fourth of July. Thanksgiving celebrates the friendship and mutual respect that should have been the standard for the Englishmen's behavior, even if it too seldom was, just as Independence day celebrates the equality and liberty that the United States should stand for.
I grew up on the other side of the reservation from you, in Goldendale, and about a quarter of my classmates were Indian. I don't recall any of them being visibly offended by the Thanksgiving pageantry and such, although maybe they should have been in a few cases. (Those paper-feather headdresses were pretty condescending.) However, I remember learning to make fry bread in third or fourth grade around that same time of year, so not every lesson touching on Indians was so stereotype-laden.
Gary, you said you grew up in the Yakima Valley. I assume you mentioned this to demonstrate you have first hand knowledge of this particular group of Native Americans. From your experience, did they treat the Thanksgiving holiday as a time of mourning?
James :)
How about: We now consider this holiday a time of mourning; give the land back to all the Native Americans (who came from other lands to beging with); and all non natives move back to their country of origin!
Maybe that will appease the purist historians.
Happy Thanksgiving! Let us all give thanks to whomever for whatever! Now are we happy?
Again, these are teacher resources for if the topic comes up, not curriculum. All of the information about the Thanksgiving 'myths' presented in the link is accurate. So the only complaint seems to be the possibility that this information is made available for other than the obvious one of simple dedication to empathy, accuracy and truth.
Maybe my methodist sunday school teaching was a bit too touchy-feely for this crowd but Isn't presuming someone is being deceptive without proof a violation of the 'Thou shalt not kill' as Jesus presented on the Sermon on the Mount? Gossip still is a sin to 'promoters of Judeo-Christian values' isn't it?
(And as an aside there were atrocities on all sides - we have the journal of my ancestor 'Uncle Billie' who talks of a raft of settlers going up the Mississippi, and it coming back several days later with all of them slaughtered.)
Oh and regardless of this, everyone please have a Happy Thanksgiving.
I am a student at a well known public Washigton State University. This semester I am taking "Teaching Elementary Social Studies" and have gotten quite an earload on the proper approach to Thanksgiving. My concern is not that sensitivity needs to be displayed towards Native Americans, it is that I am being told to teach the "history" of Thanksgiving through a liberal, social justice oriented, politically correct filter of the so called "truth" of the event. We cannot help but view U.S. history through our "year 2007 eyes," however, we need to remember two things: Thanksgiving must be taught by how it actually happened whether we like it or not or whether it fits our modern-day agendas; and two,it is always dangerous to view a historical event through a sole perspective. Once it was only the Pilgrims voices. Now it is only the Native Americans. Could they have both only been (our) voices? Let's push aside all agendas and listen to the authentic Native American and Pilgrim voices of the past. They know the truth about Thanksgiving.
oshtur vishanti -
Actually this wasn't merely offered as a resource for school teachers, rather it was recommended as the curriculum that should be taught for the subject of Thanksgiving.
The author of the material was interviewed on the radio yesterday by both conservative and liberal radio hosts, and could not present her point of view well enough to satisfy even the liberal interviewer. Of key importance was the fact that she couldn't specifically identify any Native American tribe that treats the Thanksgiving holiday as a day of mourning.
If Native Americans are actually spending their Thanksgivings in mourning instead of thankfulness, they are doing themselves and their children a serious disservice. Whether for good or bad, the past is over. It can't be brought back, and it certainly isn't worth crying over. If they are being wronged today, then by all means they should fight to make it right, but they need to let go of the wrongs from the past.
James :)
We cannot help but view U.S. history through our "year 2007 eyes," however, we need to remember two things: Thanksgiving must be taught by how it actually happened whether we like it or not or whether it fits our modern-day agendas; and two,it is always dangerous to view a historical event through a sole perspective.
Anonymous, I'll agree and take your statement a step farther. We also need to remember not to judge them according to the social mores of 2007. We need to remember that the Pilgrims and Indians, in 1620, were both doing what they honestly thought was right. In cases where they know they were doing wrong, they had self-rationalizations for it, just as we would today. IOW, they were human, just like us; no more, but no less either.
What we would consider wrong in 2007, they did not in 1620. Concepts like racial equality and religious tolerance were foreign to them, just as today concepts like religious war and strict, capitally-enforced sexual laws are foreign to us. Whether they were right or we are on any given question is irrelevant to the question of whether giving thanks for blessings is right or wrong. To refuse to celebrate something good, merely because the men who initiated the tradition behaved in a way we now repudiate, is short-sighted and (dare I say it) bigoted.
James, I took the time to do some research and you are mistaken - this was given only as a teacher's resource and not curriculum, I assume you understand the difference.
And your anecdotal story aside, the notice never was about any TRIBE that might have problems with the holiday but individual students which most certainly do. Why not deal with the actual issue at hand rather than bring in strawmen to knock down?
And your saying 'the past is past' when you are on the conquering side is so very generous of you, but back to the actual issue:
How should a teacher deal with the FACTS surrounding Thanksgiving day? Probably best the way we do with Christmas - acknowledge it had some historical roots but that the modern celebration is about philosophy and intents and not niggling historical details. Sure many of the early settlers were people you wouldn't even want in your house but they were brave souls for making the journey none the less.
“With so many holidays approaching we want to again remind you that Thanksgiving can be a particularly difficult time for many of our Native students. This website http://www.oyate.org/resources/shortthanks.html offers suggestions on ways to be sensitive of diverse experiences and perspectives and still make the holiday meaningful for all students. Here you will discover ways to help you and your students think critically, and find resources where you can learn about Thanksgiving from a Native American perspective. Eleven myths are identified about Thanksgiving, take a look at #11 and begin your own deconstruction.”
I’m sorry oshtur vishanti, but this is most definitely curriculum. Yes it is suggested rather than mandated, but what is suggested is that teachers should address the Thanksgiving holiday by doing a critical study of the myths identified by the website, especially myth 11.
And as for the “facts” surrounding Thanksgiving day, neither the holiday nor the original event have nothing to do with the mistreatment of Native Americans. I have no problem with teaching a true representation of history, but truth is not what the memo to Seattle schools is referring to. Associating Thanksgiving day with mistreatment is a lie.
James :)
James you don't understand the usage of how the term 'curriculum' is currently used then so its probably best if we just avoid the term.
As we all know, this notice has been sent out for 3 years in response to concerns expressed by native american parents and what was presented done in class surrounding Thanksgiving. And as we all know this is just another demonstration of how how the radical right demagogues can get their minions to parrot be 'outraged' by whatever they want no matter what the real facts surrounding the situation are.
And finally as we all know, all of the data in the 'myths' link is accurate and as such is part of what should be presented if the subject comes up in class (in a school where the object is to teach as objective truth as possible and not state propaganda).
Please James instead of just complaining what should be taught about Thanksgiving? The inaccuracies and outright lies of the past? None of it? Or do what is suggested - be sensitive to the past and teach both points of view?
Oh and Happy Thanksgiving if you so inclined. :)
James you don't understand the usage of how the term 'curriculum' is currently used then so its probably best if we just avoid the term.
As we all know, this notice has been sent out for 3 years in response to concerns expressed by native american parents and what was presented done in class surrounding Thanksgiving. And as we all know this is just another demonstration of how how the radical right demagogues can get their minions to parrot be 'outraged' by whatever they want no matter what the real facts surrounding the situation are.
And finally as we all know, all of the data in the 'myths' link is accurate and as such is part of what should be presented if the subject comes up in class (in a school where the object is to teach as objective truth as possible and not state propaganda).
Please James instead of just complaining what should be taught about Thanksgiving? The inaccuracies and outright lies of the past? None of it? Or do what is suggested - be sensitive to the past and teach both points of view?
Oh and Happy Thanksgiving if you so inclined. :)
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