Democrats Again Attack Thanksgiving

Why do Democrats have such hostility toward Thanksgiving? Is it simply a matter of their same problem with Christmas which stems from their whole Atheist Communist view of how society would be better off without any Christian observances? Are they really threatened by Thanksgiving when it's simply about being grateful to God for all we have? 

Thanksgiving is an American tradition, as one president put it, Thanksgiving is "rooted in a story of generosity and partnership." It is a day that "offers an opportunity to us to express our gratitude for the gifts we have and to show our appreciation for all we hold dear." He went on to say, "Today, as we give of ourselves in service to others and spend cherished time with family and friends, we give thanks for the many blessings bestowed upon us." 

Today's Leftist dialogue doesn't agree with what he said when he reminded America of how "Our modern celebration of Thanksgiving can be traced back to the early 17th century. Upon arriving in Plymouth, at the culmination of months of testing travel that resulted in death and disease, the Pilgrims continued to face great challenges. An indigenous people, the Wampanoag, helped them adjust to their new home, teaching them critical survival techniques and important crop cultivation methods. After securing a bountiful harvest, the settlers and Wampanoag joined in fellowship for a shared dinner to celebrate powerful traditions that are still observed at Thanksgiving today: lifting one another up, enjoying time with those around us, and appreciating all that we have."

He was right when he said, "Carrying us through trial and triumph, this sense of decency and compassion has defined our Nation. President George Washington proclaimed the first Thanksgiving in our country's nascence, calling on the citizens of our fledgling democracy to place their faith in 'the providence of Almighty God,' and to be thankful for what is bequeathed to us. In the midst of bitter division at a critical juncture for America, President Abraham Lincoln acknowledged the plight of the most vulnerable, declaring a 'day of thanksgiving,' on which all citizens would 'commend to God's tender care' those most affected by the violence of the time -- widows, orphans, mourners, and sufferers of the Civil War. A tradition of giving continues to inspire this holiday, and at shelters and food centers, on battlefields and city streets, and through generous donations and silent prayers, the inherent selflessness and common goodness of the American people endures. In the same spirit of togetherness and thanksgiving that inspired the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag, we pay tribute to people of every background and belief who contribute in their own unique ways to our country's story. Each of us brings our own traditions, cultures, and recipes to this quintessential American holiday -- whether around dinner tables, in soup kitchens, or at home cheering on our favorite sports teams -- but we are all united in appreciation of the bounty of our Nation. Let us express our gratitude by welcoming others to our celebrations and recognize those who volunteer today to ensure a dinner is possible for those who might have gone without. Together, we can secure our founding ideals as the birthright of all future generations of Americans."

How can anyone not agree with that? Well, believe it or not, those words which I have quoted came from former-President Barrack Obama. And today, his view as he stated in his Thanksgiving Proclamation of 2015 is in complete contrast with several American universities and the Left that controls those schools. So now the question becomes more than simply why don't they agree with Obama since they laid so much adoration upon him while he was president. The question becomes why is it that the spirit of thanking God doesn't sit right with American universities? 

Right now, the alumni associations of the University of Maryland, Florida Gulf Coast University, Washington State University, University of Central Arkansas, Hiram College in Ohio, and California State University at Long Beach, all want Americans to "reconsider" our Thanksgiving holiday? They want us to consider renaming Thanksgiving, "National Day of Mourning."

While the vast majority of Americans think the Left is "full of shit" and will certainly honor European explorers like Christopher Columbus, a man who never in his lifetime set foot on North American soil, by giving him his day of recognition, the Left wants to call that day "Indigenous Peoples Day." The Left, those who loath everything about America, believe that changing such days and bringing down statues "reflects our national mood." Of course, as usual, they are wrong.

Today, those Leftists ask if "Thanksgiving should be rededicated as a 'National Day of Mourning'"? Yes, as if to dedicate Thanksgiving Day as a day of reflection, as they put it, "on the centuries-long displacement and persecution of Native Americans." According to the Democrats, we should not celebrate Thanksgiving because "it represents the colonization of Native Americans, the theft of their land, and the genocide that was committed against them." 

Of course, whenever I read something like that, I immediately ask myself why is it that those on the Left know neither history nor the facts of life in pre-contact America. Granted, many horrible acts were perpetrated against Native American tribes by various European groups. Not all, but there were some who were ruthless. That's true and it's important that we acknowledge that fact. 

But if are to paint our European ancestors as murderous criminals, let's be fair about things -- so were the Native Americans since tribes waged war upon each other to the point of genocide long before the first European ever stepped foot on North American soil. It is also important that we acknowledge that fact as well. Does that negate what the Europeans did? Of course not. But wouldn't it be honest to acknowledge that the tribes suffered as greatly under siege from other tribes as they did from Europeans in pre-contact America? It would if one were trying to be real about what took place instead of depicting pre-contact America as some sort of place where war, slavery, and genocide did not take place. 

Europeans did not introduce the concepts of war and genocide to the Americas. Just as Europeans did not introduce the concepts of war or genocide, they also did not introduce the concept of conquest. In fact, pre-contact tribes waged bloody wars of conquest that pushed others off lands and slaughtered them to the point of genocide. 

Also, the false claim that America was stolen from Native Americans is a lie that has been perpetuated over the years. But it is false. The fact is, even experts on Native American Indian law admit that the United States federal government has never eliminated a tribe's title to lands. Let's not forget that the federal government paid for lands while also providing reservations. It's true, even after the United States bought the Louisiana Purchase from France, the federal government still had to buy the lands from the tribes that occupied them. But then again, no one usually mentions that fact.

Did creating this nation go smoothly? Not hardly. And yes, the Indian Wars prove that out. But in fact, there were attempts to make things go smoother. For example, The Nonintercourse Act is the collective name given to six statutes passed by Congress in 1790, 1793, 1796, 1799, 1802, and 1834 to set "Amerindian" boundaries of reservations. Those various Congressional Acts tried to regulate commerce between settlers and the tribes. But it also criminalized land purchases between settlers and tribes in order to protect them from land swindlers and other crooks. Does this sound like theft? Does it sound like what tribes did to each other in pre-contact America with their wholesale slaughter of their enemies, revenge killings, human sacrifice, and taking of slaves as the fruits of conquest?

So really, when the Left says they want to rename Thanksgiving and call it "National Day of Mourning," are they talking about what the federal government did -- or what the tribes did to each other? And as for teaching all of history, both sides, before and after arrival, sadly the history lessons taught in most universities are pathetically political and don't reflect the truth of what took place.

As for my quoting Obama earlier, I'm not going to be a hypocrite here. I didn't agree with very much of what that president said when he was in office. In fact, I hated his domestic and foreign policies, just as I hated how he seemed to work to divide us across racial lines. 

But yet, just as my grandfather said that "Even a broken clock can be right twice a day," and yes Obama was correct when he spoke about how Thanksgiving is about, "lifting one another up, enjoying time with those around us, and appreciating all that we have." Most will agree that Thanksgiving is a day when we give thanks for the many blessings bestowed upon us.

As for the Left's disdain for America, their latest attack on Thanksgiving? It has gotten old. As a friend recently said, if we were to say that something "never gets old" then we are talking about something in an extremely encouraging, energizing, something very positive in nature. In contrast, the Left's constant attacks on America have gotten boring, monotonous, extremely tedious. Frankly, the same old attacks that Democrats come up with are always the same old saw of how they hate us. 

And as for what comes out of universities these days, there is nothing new about American universities attacking American traditions and values. It's simply expected. And really, maybe that's why most universities today are viewed with less prestige and importance than brothels are in Nevada. As one college instructor wrote to tell me recently, "Brothels were once seen as places that fulfilled a need in the Old West. While today their social status is not as endearing, even Nevada's brothels are placed in higher regard than American universities these days."

I agree, and understand why that's the case.

Tom Correa