On the anniversary of the day we took so much from the indigenous peoples, let us remember we are all human beings. Being truly grateful to be alive means caring for one another even when it is inconvenient.
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The story of the first “Thanksgiving” in the United States of America normally begins with the European Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people celebrating the Pilgrims’ first successful harvest of “New World” crops in 1621. It was a three day feast and festival along the coastal areas of what is today Massachusetts, USA. Living in a new and utterly unfamiliar land, the Pilgrims relied heavily on the help of the native Wampanoag people to survive. If not for the generosity and kindness of the Wampanoag and many other native people of America there likely would be no America at all, much less the holiday of Thanksgiving.
Native American Indians (First Nations people, etc.) themselves purportedly immigrated to the massive region we now call the Americas by crossing a land bridge that connected Asia and what is now Alaska (the most northwestern section of North America) thousands of years ago. That is a factor in the controversy surrounding Columbus Day, which commemorates the “discovery” of the New World (the Americas) by Christopher Columbus in 1492. The indigenous peoples of the Americas welcomed Columbus’s crew and the Pilgrims alike as visitors and treated them with immense morality. Nearly 130 years before the famous feast and festival between Pilgrims and “Indians”, Columbus himself wrote of his initial encounter with the native Taíno people in the area now known as the Bahamas: “…they are artless and generous with what they have, to such a degree as no one would believe but him who had seen it. Of anything they have, if it be asked for, they never say no, but do rather invite the person to accept it, and show as much lovingness as though they would give their hearts.”
Living descendants of European settlers that helped wipe out most of the Native Americans fear that today Syrian refugees will kill Americans just as their Euro-American ancestors killed the native Americans.
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With Thanksgiving on the horizon, there is turmoil throughout the world. Dominating the global news today are the Syrian refugees fleeing civil war and violent conflict, but the United States also is in a state of disunity. Many states in the currently divided “union” of (North) America do not want to accept Syrian refugees out of fear that some of them might be terrorists that wish to harm us. I cannot say I blame them, really. Living descendants of European settlers that helped wipe out most of the Native Americans fear that today Syrian refugees will kill Americans just as their Euro-American ancestors killed the Native Americans.
I suggest we take a leap of faith and celebrate Thanksgiving as the Pilgrims and the Wampanoags did. The American citizens would take on the role of the Wampanoags and the Syrian refugees would take on the role of the Pilgrims in 1621. From this perspective we can see that Americans’ anxiety goes beyond the fear of terrorists among Syrian refugees. Thousands of Americans have a subconscious fear of empathizing with the Syrian refugees the way the Wampanoag people empathized with the European Pilgrims. After all, to the Native Americans the actions of early American settlers (of European descent) were equivalent to the actions of terrorists today. Out of fear, descendants of the settlers refuse to reverse the sinful tendencies of their ancestors rather than reinforce them. Apparently the words of the sonnet titled “The New Colossus” inscribed on a plaque at the base of the Statue of Liberty in New York are just words: “Give me your tired, your poor, \ Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, \ The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. \ Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, \ I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
The Syrian refugees are victims of a civil war and violent conflict in their home land. The US joining the allies in the second world war after the attack on Pearl Harbor was just. During that war (WWII) we knew exactly who attacked us and why. It was the Japanese government and military and they did it out of imperial ambitions. However, during that time period the United States had another reaction that today engenders less pride. Thousands of Japanese Americans were rounded up and put in internment camps for most of the duration of WWI.
When 9/11 happened, we could not precisely discern the attackers’ identity (or rather identities) nor could we easily understand their motive(s). Out of this confusion and frustration the level of fear among Americans escalated and we have not yet recovered.
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At the risk of sounding condescending, I feel nearly as sorry for Americans that lack empathy as I do for the Syrian refugees. Numerous Americans are victims of fear itself more than anything else. When 9/11 happened, we could not precisely discern the attackers’ identity (or rather identities) nor could we easily understand their motive(s). Out of this confusion and frustration the level of fear among Americans escalated and we have not yet recovered. The problem with fear is that it fuels hate. Today there is much fear and hate directed at Muslims and people from regions of conflict like Syria. Thankfully we have not reacted with Muslims and other Middle-Eastern immigrants the same way we reacted with Japanese Americans during WWII. However, among many Americans—and likely now some French and others—there is a sense that Muslims and Middle-Eastern immigrants are a threat and are not worthy of human dignity. The conditions are disturbing because hate and violence are self-perpetuating.
Most Americans are not conscious of such fears and the hypocritical dichotomy they inhabit. Some Americans allegedly are proud patriots but despise a major portion of its political constituency (Democrats versus Republicans). Others claim to be Christian but are very un-Christ-like toward fellow human beings (gays, Muslims, and others). The day after Thanksgiving—a day assertedly dedicated to gratitude—people head out in droves to purchase all sorts of superfluous goods and services (as if they could not survive without them). Do facets of Americans such as these paint an image of a country deserving of great pride and adoration? Is it really so difficult to understand why people looking at America from an outside perspective might despise us and wish us harm?
It is difficult to gauge how many altruistic people there are in America because so much of the narrative in dominant media focuses on the fear and divisive aspects of Americans.
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Not all Americans allow fear, hate, and consumerism to dominate their lives. It is difficult to gauge how many altruistic people there are in America because so much of the narrative in dominant media focuses on the fear and divisive aspects of Americans. Furthermore, compassion and fear are not necessarily mutually exclusive. We certainly must not be gullible in our proceedings with Syrian refugees or any other immigrants, but we definitely should not be entirely unsympathetic either. Expressions of gratitude and goodwill should not be confined to Thanksgiving Day or reserved only for veterans or poor American citizens. We are all human beings, and being truly grateful to be alive means caring for one another even when it is difficult and inconvenient to do so.
Now, how about taking that leap of faith?
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Photo credit: Getty Images
As of the time of this comment there is an inaccuracy in the first sentence. The date should read 1621 not 1692. That was my mistake and slipped past the editors also. Apologies. The editors are aware of the error and should be updating it soon! Thanks!