WHAT'S WRONG WITH PILGRIMS AND INDIANS EATING TOGETHER?

I watched a brief segment on Newsmax yesterday about a group who are trying to 'decolonize' our early American history.  The meaning that I took from this report was that the traditional, historical story of the first thanksgiving is somehow repulsive to the true identity of Americans today.

Like so many of you, I have developed theories to guide me in understanding and interpreting history.  One of my beliefs is that the earlier the source material, the more likely it is to represent the truth.  I've made no attempt to prove this theory, it just made sense to me.  One day in 2016, the church that I was leading held a quite large 'rummage sale'.  As I walked through, I noticed a collection of books titled THE AMERICAN HERITAGE NEW ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.  

  

[It was published in 1963, by Robert G. Athearn (Professor of History, University of Colorado) by Dell Publishing Company, Inc., New York.]

Volume 1 includes a lengthy foreward by John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States.  My thought process was simple.  If this project was endorsed  by JFK and completed in 1963, it would have a less tainted presentation.  For a modest price, I purchased the sixteen volume set - even though a couple of volumes were missing.  [I was quickly able to purchase the missing volumes by searching the internet.]  

I initially thought that my grandkids might find value in these volumes, but they have lived at such great distance from us that this opportunity never flourished.  

I bristle at the blatant attempts to redefine history.  History should be reported as fairly as possible for future generations to read and evaluate.  [And yet I understand that the historian's biases and perspectives are difficult - if not impossible - to avoid.] 

It baffles my mind that we would want to take a friendly exchange between the early American settlers and the Native Americans and somehow interpret it as a bad experience!  

Please, I've heard and understand that the early American settlers introduced sickness to the Native Americans.  I'm aware of the repetitive breaking of treaties.  The story of the treatment of Native Americans is in itself a 'trail of tears'!  I've read books to better inform myself about the treatment of Native Americans, such as BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE: An Indian History of the American West, by Dee Brown, 1970.  

I'm well aware of the injustices dealt to the Native Americans across decades of early American development.  I genuinely mourn this sad chapter of our history!  Like the period of human slavery, it is a shameful segment that we should all lament!  

Yet, how do these realities - as painful and embarrassing as they are - negate the peaceful gathering that took place in the early fall of 1621?  

Is it wrong for us to mimic the menu for that first great day of Thanksgiving?

• cod, bass, and other fish
• wild ducks and geese
• turkey
• lobster
• watercress
• berries
• dried fruit
• boiled pumpkin
• clams
• plums, and
• venison  (King Massasoit’s men went out and killed 9 deer for the feast).

We have details about these several days of feasting that come from credible sources.  What value is there in denying or ignoring these facts?  What is wrong with school children reenacting the events of this first Thanksgiving?  

Having begun my schooling career in 1956, I was a part of a system that would be unrecognizable today!  Before we were released for the Thanksgiving holiday, I remember us singing together two songs:

Over the river and through the woods,
To grandmother's house we go;
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh,
Through (the) white and drifted snow!

Over the river and through the woods,
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes and bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.

Over the river and through the woods,
To have a first-rate play;
Oh, hear the bells ring, "Ting-a-ling-ling!"
Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!

Over the river and through the woods,
Trot fast, my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground,
Like a hunting hound!
For this is Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river and through the woods,
And straight through the barnyard gate.
We seem to go extremely slow
It is so hard to wait!

Over the river and through the woods,
Now Grandmother's cap I spy!
Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

Then we would sing:

Come, ye thankful people come,

Raise the song of harvest home;

All is safely gathered in,

Ere the winter storms begin;

God, our Maker, doth provide

For our wants to be supplied:

Come to God's own temple come,

Raise the song of harvest-home.

Hard to believe, huh?