Written by:Nicholas Sarysz

Imagine sitting around a table with one’s extended relatives, who are all giving their very bad opinions on what one should do with one’s life. While it may sound like some form of torture, it is actually what many consider “celebrating” Thanksgiving.

However, the holiday is not about being forced to spend time with one’s extended family. Instead, Thanksgiving is about coming together to celebrate the blessings we all experience. After all, if one is going to be forced to sit next to their politically-opinionated uncle, they might as well at least get a feast and a long weekend out of the ordeal.

Families will most commonly cook turkey for the holiday, sided by various dishes that may include mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce and more. Of course, many accompany the day with different activities, such as watching football, sharing what they are most grateful for or even preparing for a Black Friday extravaganza. 

Many others, who are unable to spend time with family during the holiday, celebrate “Friendsgiving.” When it boils down to it, Thanksgiving is all about tradition and being surrounded by the people you love.

The tradition dates back to November 1621, when the first American colonists shared a feast with the Wampanoag Native Americans after their harvest. While this appeared to be the groundwork for a great relationship and a glorious holiday for everyone, it only worked out that way for one of the parties.

Fast forward to 2022 and those that most closely resemble the colonists that arrived from Plymouth run prosperously throughout the country, while the Indigenous people are shoved into forlorn land that the government labeled as a reservation. Today, many people view these reservations as a novelty, where they are able to gamble at casinos and purchase illegal fireworks to set off in their suburban neighborhoods. 

The trajectory taken to get to this point is even worse, as the history between the two sides is nothing more than a long and bloody conflict that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths.

The American Government acts as if none of this conflict ever existed and continues to marinate its national holidays in deceptive ways. 

Yet, it is unlikely that any of this will change. Many teachers will continue to white-wash the country’s dirty past by depicting a great relationship between the two sides, all while the students ignorantly craft hand turkeys out of construction paper and finger paint.

So the next time one is  listening to their Uncle Jim rant about this President or that Ballot Initiative, think about the pain and suffering that has gone into the making of the meal that is going cold in front of them— and not just one’s mother’s blood, sweat and tears.

By no means is spending time with one’s family an inherently evil act and neither is forming traditions with those you love. What may be, however, is continuing to pretend that nothing is wrong with the origins of Thanksgiving.

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@mail.wou.edu