Some More Thanksgiving Thoughts

Harvest festivals were ancient celebrations, including in biblical times. We also see many examples of periods of fasting and thanksgiving.

There were also multiple "first" Thanksgivings if we want to capitalize that word as a holiday celebrating a special event. I assume that the true first Thanksgiving involved Native Americans. There was one in Spanish Florida. The first Canadian Thanksgiving is sometimes cited to be in the 16th Century. And, there is that Pilgrim one. 

How many think the Pilgrims are the first people who came to British America, at least to the United States part? No. Jamestown, Virginia was established over a decade before. Then, there were the first slaves, which led years later to the "1619 Project." And, then the Pilgrims. 

When did this occur? I was looking at various websites and many simply said "1621" or at best the autumn of 1621. We do not have an exact accounting though multiple people wrote something about the event. One was in a letter written in early December. For what that is worth.

When I was thinking about our date, it did seem somewhat late. Canada has its Thanksgiving in early October, which very well might be closer to the actual original Pilgrims date. Our current date arose during the Civil War, which was a mixture of 19th-century sentiment and wartime events. Days of fasting and thanksgiving were normal events during wars, including the Revolutionary War. Note the mixture of sorry with celebration.

By then, our "settler colonialism" was starting to enter its final stages. A current film tells a little-known tale of what happened when Native Americans benefited from the natural resources on their native soil. White America has a lot to answer for. My one caveat is that there is not something uniquely "white" about such colonialism. 

"Native American" should also not be simply mixed with "good guys" either. The Aztecs come to mind. Originally, even Native Americans who helped the Pilgrims did so partially since they saw them as possible allies against other Natives. If things were switched, I do not think the mere fact their skins were darker would have meant a different result.  

Thanksgiving was moved up a week for a few years during the Roosevelt administration. To be fair, by a quirk, the holiday fell late that year. This was purely an economic decision and did not last. Lincoln timed the holiday as a type of end-of-the-year celebration. Note that Jesus was likely not born on Christmas Day. 

Presidents have given thanksgiving proclamations from the beginning. There was also some controversy. Some thought President Adams was too heavy-handed. Jefferson, keeping pure, opposed the concept, arguing it was a violation of the separation of church and state. And, the Tenth Amendment, to the degree that such questions were not the job of the federal government.

I do think presidents should not officially honor God and petition him or whatever pronoun fits in our names. They can do that privately. It also is fine for them to honor the day in various ways, including honoring our liberal traditions (good op-ed). 

Okay. Some have jumped the gun. But, now it's okay to start thinking about Christmas and other winter holidays.