Perri Nelson's Website 

Attitude

The Thanksgiving holiday is fast approaching. Lately I've read blog posts about some disturbing trends, and followed links to stories that verify the post content. It seems that Thanksgiving is under attack.

Apparently the idea of the Thanksgiving holiday that I was raised with is wrong. Thanksgiving wasn't all about the native Americans sharing the bounty with the pilgrims. At least not quite the way I was taught in school.

The happy myth that they were incapable buffoons that had to be saved by the noble savages and taught the basics of agriculture, animal husbandry and hunting that we were taught in school seems to me to be simply unlikely. A stupid people doesn't have the capacity to plan and organize ocean voyages with sail powered vessels.

In the 1600s the pilgrims most definitely had some problems establishing their colonies in the "new world". That shouldn't be surprising. They didn't really know the land, they were unprepared for the weather, and it's a lot of hard work establishing homes when you don't have the benefit of a contractor with a large labor pool to work with pre-finished materials.

Yes, there was starvation. Yes, people died of exposure to the elements. Yes, there were relations, both friendly and unfriendly with the native peoples. There may have even been a feast of celebration and thanks for having survived the year.

That's not what Thanksgiving is about though.

Nor is Thanksgiving really (as suggested by certain "politically correct" school districts) a day of mourning for the horrible treatment of native Americans at the hands of evil white Europeans that:

• Couldn't figure out how to feed themselves.
• Had to rely upon the largess of the noble savage for survival
• Deliberately betrayed their benefactors
• Purposefully infected them with all manner of deadly diseases.

It's not about turkey, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pies, hams, and food. It's not about gluttony. It's not about college football games. It's not about the Macy's parade and the arrival of Santa Claus or the Christmas shopping season. It's not about the pilgrims and the Indians. It's not about the white man's brutal treatment of the red man.

Oh, sure, we engage in all of that (even the "PC" trash). We celebrate a feast at Thanksgiving. We gather family and friends together to watch the game and the parades. But that's not really what it's about.

It's about giving thanks to God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us. It's about being thankful for the good things in our lives. It's about being thankful that we still have our lives.

Is that really so hard?

The first official Thanksgiving celebrated by the United States occurred in 1789. It was established by a proclamation of George Washington, our first President. Here's the text of that proclamation…

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houfes of Congress have, by their joint committee, requefted me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to eftablifh a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and affign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of thefe States to the fervice of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our fincere and humble thanksfor His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the fignal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpofitions of His providence in the courfe and conclufion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have fince enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to eftablish Conftitutions of government for our fafety and happinefs, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are bleffed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffufing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleafed to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in moft humbly offering our prayers and fupplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and befeech Him to pardon our national and other tranfgreffions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private ftations, to perform our feveral and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a bleffing to all the people by conftantly being a Government of wife, juft, and conftitutional laws, difcreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all fovereigns and nations (especially fuch as have shewn kindnefs unto us); and to blefs them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increafe of fcience among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind fuch a degree of temporal profperity as he alone knows to be beft.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand feven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

Thanksgiving is truly about being grateful to God for the manifold blessings He has given to us. It's interesting to me to note that:

• Both houses of Congress, the House of Representatives AND the Senate requested this proclamation.
• The Congressional request acknowledged a debt of gratitude to Almighty God.
• The Congressional request was for a day of public thanksgiving and prayer.
• Nothing in this proclamation spoke of the plight of the pilgrims.
• Nothing in this proclamation spoke about native Americans.

If a similar proclamation were to be made at the request of Congress today, it's a sure bet that the ACLU would come out against it because it violates the "wall of separation" between church and state. It's a sure bet that many of our courts would declare it to be unconstitutional.

Isn't it strange that our founders thought it perfectly natural and appropriate to publicly honor God and call for a national day of prayer, yet today so many seem to believe that it was their intent to disallow such a thing?

Next Thursday I'm not going to be mourning over the plight of native Americans. Next Thursday I'm not going to celebrate the awesome incompetence of the colonists and the noble sacrifice of the people whose land they came to exploit.

Next Thursday, and every day, I'm going to be grateful that I have life, family, and a nation where I can celebrate them.

I'm not going to let the PC "Attitude" ruin my Thanksgiving. Don't let it ruin yours.

Cross posted to NW Bloggers.

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Rosemary responded with:

Excellent. God bless your family and you.

Aurora responded with:

Hi Perri, would you mind shooting me a quick email? Thanks, Aurora.