A Thanksgiving Rant

A co-worker came to work Thursday morning, Thanksgiving Day, and greeted me with, “Happy we-killed-the-Indians-and-stole-their-land Day.” I encounter this attitude here and there. This is an attitude gaining ground in America, “We are such a sorry people – we done the Indians wrong.” And is quite often carried all the way back to Columbus: “Curse that evil man, Columbus, for his greedy and thieving ways!” Sadly, such bunk is often the only view presented in many-a public school.

As you might have already guessed, I find these views ignorant and hypocritical.

“Ignorant? Didn’t early Americans, including the government, lie and cheat and swindle the Indians and then kill them to boot? And aren’t we living on what used to be their land?” I never said there was no truth to it. Even some people living in early America were aware of our maltreatment of the Indians. Not every single person was engaged in wholesale rape and slaughter of Indians. By ignorant I mean ignorant and short sighted.

The European conquest of the Americas was not the only time such a thing happened. This is the story of man. Have these people never read a history book? So much of human history is the story of one people moving in and either forcing the relocation of the previous people, enslaving them, or simply wiping them out. The Celts came storming into Europe, Britain and Ireland and conquered the previous people. The Germanic tribes followed, chasing the Celts out of their land. And what do you think the Romans were doing?

England was once known as Britain, named for the Celtic tribes who lived their, the Britani. The Romans came along, uninvited and unwelcome, and conquered them. When the Romans left, the Saxons and Angles came over and dispossessed the Celts (now only to be found in Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and Brittany). Britain became known as Angle-land. No one weeps for the dispossessed Celts. Then William the Conqueror of Normandy came ashore and did the same to the Saxons! And this is only the English-speaking world!!

And do you know what those “peaceful Indians” were doing before Europeans arrived? They were busy killing each other! Every early writer describes their “continuous internecine warfare.” Tribes were constantly relocating, being chased out of their previous habitation by another tribe. The Plains Indians were formerly of the northeast, but were forced to move by stronger tribes!

Does this vindicate those early Europeans and their treatment of Indians? Of course not, but it does put it into perspective. This was not something unique. Every single nation throughout history began by conquering another nation. It all began with Cain, who “conquered” Abel because Abel had something Cain wanted.

And hypocritical. All these people vilify our European ancestors on this continent, “They done the Indians wrong! They stole their land! There were pure evil!” There are still Indians around, why don’t they give back their land?? If they are really serious about their charges, the Indians’ land was stolen, pure and simple, why don’t they give back what they can – whatever land they own? And move back to wherever their ancestors came from? They will never do this. Never.

I agree, bad things were done. Does that make us a bad people? No more so than any other people in history. Ah, but doesn’t this invalidate Thanksgiving Day? No, since Thanksgiving Day is NOT a day that commemorates the conquest of the Americas. It is a day set aside by the nation to acknowledge our blessings and to thank God for them.

In an effort to end on a positive note, I hope you had a great thanksgiving! This is based on the Old Testament practice of feasting before the Lord – God has blessed us with abundance so we will feast before Him as a way to thank Him. I hope you were moved to thank God for His abundant blessings on our nation. Truth be told, I hope that you acknowledge His blessings in your life everyday.

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, 

and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:  

To show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, 

and thy faithfulness every night

† Since I posted this my daughter told me about an article that is much more extensive than my little rant. It is an excellent article and you can read it here. It actually deals with the Puritans and their relationship with the Indians and their foundation for the nation.