Happy Thanksgiving 2006 to all my web log readers! “Web log readers”…maybe that should be shortened to “blogders”. I don’t consider myself a real American history expert, but I remember a little about Thanksgiving…
No, not that it was started by a huge celebration that occurred between the first American immigrants and the Native Americans. Instead, that such a celebration never occurred. So, it might be fun to just chalk up Thanksgiving to another one of Americans’ ways to incorrectly depict a rosier picture about the relationship between the Pilgrims and Natives. However, in this case, I’m not sure that would be entirely accurate either.
The reality is that Europeans traveling to far away lands (not quite as far as “America”) were likely never welcomed with open arms. Their reputation for unwavering colonization and ruthless conquering were preconceptions that the Native Americans were not privy to. So, as it was, being invited to sit and eat at the same table by the Natives was something for the Pilgrims to certainly be thankful for. I’m sure the dinners didn’t last too long as fighting ensued, but perhaps we can all remember the other side of Thanksgiving that had as much — if not more — to do with welcoming strangers (and those different from one another) with open arms as it did with getting together with friends and family.