The “white AF” model of Thanksgiving is a lie that promotes the parable of white supremacy. That fairy story ignores the utter ignorance, ineptitude and incompetence of these early colonists, who have been on the verge of demise, and needed to resort to cannibalism simply to semi-survive. The white-washed telling of this story additionally deletes absolutely the vanity and savagery these colonizers displayed by repaying the indigenous people who actually saved their lives (by instructing them survival abilities) by stealing their land, killing off most of them and displacing the remainder.
So, I fully perceive the military of Blackfolk and others who need nothing to do with the late November custom often called Thanksgiving.
That stated, hear me out on why we SHOULD rejoice Thanksgiving.
REASON 5 – Cease giving colonizers credit score they don’t deserve
Rejecting Thanksgiving based mostly on the BS, fairy story model they indoctrinated us with throughout our youth, at its core, offers colonizers a credit score they completely don’t deserve. It suggests they invented or created the thought of giving thanks. Y’all know they didn’t (extra on that later). Similar to they didn’t type and located Christianity. Similar to they didn’t invent a gazillion innovations they stole credit score for as a result of it was in opposition to the regulation for hundreds of years to offer patents to Blackfolk. Similar to they didn’t create New Age faith/spirituality or yoga or numerous different issues they act like they invented, despite the fact that the world’s folks of shade gifted them to the planet. Let’s cease giving them credit score they don’t deserve.
REASON 4 – Don’t throw the newborn out with the bathwater
I perceive rejecting the worth system of colonizing folks. However rejecting the notion of Thanksgiving is like throwing out the newborn with the bathwater. We will “Simply Say No” to the white nationalist propaganda model of the “first Thanksgiving” with out additionally rejecting the act of giving thanks.
REASON 3 – Thanksgiving (gratefulness) is a superpower
With out going into the science of it, gratefulness (giving thanks) affords confirmed thoughts, physique and spirit advantages. There are millions of articles on this topic you’ll be able to try at your leisure. They usually all present that you’re higher individually and we’re higher collectively once we dwell and transfer in an area of gratefulness and thanksgiving. For a lot of, once they reject the vacation of Thanksgiving in addition they flip their backs on the religious follow of giving thanks and being grateful. Doing so permits colonizers to steal much more from us than they’ve already pilfered.
REASON 2 – We’ve a lot to be glad about
Regardless of all that has been completed in makes an attempt to defile, destroy and demean Black folks, nonetheless we rise. Not solely have been we (through our ancestors) the givers of faith, artwork, science and civilization to the world, we’ve had each dastardly deed identified to humanity perpetrated upon us, but we nonetheless constructed America. European powers wouldn’t exist with out our presents. And like writer Joel Kotkin says in his basic guide “Tribes: How Race, Faith and Id Decide Success within the New International Economic system,” and I’m paraphrasing, “Of all folks on the planet, Black folks have completely all the things they must be a worldwide power… besides unity.” However that unity is not possible to achieve with out us having the eyes to see all that we’ve to be glad about – our abilities, skills, traditions, experiential classes, religious insights borne over hundreds of years, ancestral assets, the spirit of Ubuntu (I’m as a result of we’re) in our DNA there each time we select to acknowledge and faucet into it, and the vitality and energy and brilliance of one another.
REASON 1 – We invented the notion of giving thanks
As alluded to already, Mr. and Mrs. Colonizer didn’t invent the religious follow of giving thanks. We did. In reality, each tradition based by folks of shade had their variations of “Thanksgiving.” African nations usually referred to those practices because the “Pageant of First Fruits,” which is actually what Kwanzaa means. However Black, Latinx and Asian people have at all times taken day out of their lives to supply up because of God and the ancestors for varied blessings (Which is why we all know who the traditional Hebrews have been. It was their very own Pageant of First Fruits which facilitated what we now know because the season of Pentecost and the beginning of the primary Christian church). These communal gatherings of “thanksgiving” usually occurred after crops have been harvested. Neighborhood members thanked the creator for blessing them with the meals wanted to nourish their minds and our bodies. Our folks gave thanks after births, throughout and after weddings and at funerals, thanking God and the ancestors for the time spent with and contributions made by those that made their transitions. And since everyone knows all humanity traces its roots to Africa, it was people who seemed like us who have been the primary to utter the phrases “Thanks, Lord.” Your folks and mine have been the primary to acknowledge the advantages of being grateful. Thanksgiving and gratefulness have been so essential, they have been made integral components of each ritual, private or company, that we have been a part of. I imply, haven’t colonizers colonized sufficient? Rejecting Thanksgiving permits them to colonize yet one more factor that’s authentically African.
BONUS REASON
And when you concentrate on it, when Blackfolk (aware/progressive or not) rejoice Thanksgiving, we’re not gathering in our houses and re-enacting the Barry Goldwater-Richard Nixon-Snow White-Jerry Farwell model of occasions; we’re celebrating household and pals. We’re gathering collectively in fellowship and neighborhood. We’re becoming a member of fingers and lifting up phrases of thanks for what the Creator and/or our family members have completed for us. We’re recalling the blessings that flowed our manner over the previous yr. We’re thanking Spirit for these of our household who made their transition and remembering them fondly. We’re providing phrases of pleasure concerning the new infants born, graduations witnessed, knots tied, promotions gained, companies began, diseases overcome, and any variety of further miracles and reward experiences. Ain’t “nare” Black household I do know saying a “got-damn” factor about pilgrims. Fairly, each Black household I do know is collaborating in one of the crucial historic of African rituals – fellowshipping over a superb meal and recalling our blessings.
And sure, we have to depend our blessings each day. However let’s not boycott the sooner or later most people really do it.
