AlterNet: Why We Shouldn’t Celebrate Thanksgiving
http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/68170
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2 Responses to “AlterNet: Why We Shouldn’t Celebrate Thanksgiving”
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Dearest Michael,
As namesake to the first Indian Agent to the Louisiana Territory, Dr. John Sibley, veteran (a medic) of the War for American Independence, and defender of the rights of the indigenous people living in the area that would become my birthplace, Alexandria, Louisiana (named after the winner in that class-actin suit, entrepreneur Alexander Fulton), I say, “Here! Here!” Our thanks as Americans to any Almighty, ought indeed be shared with our corporal hosts, and, yes, saviors, the First Americans, the indigenous peoples we called Indians. This, such honor and respect, I see, is central to the character expressed through “HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical.” We ought no less than give thanks on Thanksgiving Day to our DisinHAIRited Brethren.
Tioga,
Sibley Smith
Posted on 24-Nov-07 at 9:52 pm | PermalinkI really enjoyed reading the thanks giving diner article, I’ve just
been to an extraordinary climate change conference in city hall
westminster outside parliament. It was stark and shocking but on the
last day incredibly inspiring. During some of the speakers talks, I
was reminded of that book of yours about native american culture,
the letter written by an indian chief to the president at the time,
warning him about pollution back in 1859.
One thing that came up again and again was the issue of respecting
and learning from indigenous cultures and communities, the only
living cultures in the world that are sustainable and
therefore ‘healthy’ in terms of respecting the planet, and not
driving it towards mass extinction as our culture is, with it’s
unenvironmental behavior.
An incredibly inspiring book I recommend is ‘Blessed Unrest’ by
Paul Hawken, maybe you’ve heard of it, talking about this huge
movement that is sweeping the world, a grass roots movement, by the
shoe makers, poets, school teachers, parents, regular folks who wish
to shake and wake the governments and corporations that continue to
ignore the urgency for change regarding our behavior in dealing with
the environment. To Quote the book:
Across the planet groups ranging from ad hoc neighborhood
associations to well-funded international organizations are
confronting issues like the destruction of the environment, the
abuses of the free-market fundamentalism, social justice, and the
loss of the indigenous cultures. They share no orthodoxy or unifying
ideology; they follow no single charismatic leader; they remain
supple enough to coalesce easily into larger networks to achieve
their goals. While they are mostly unrecognised by politicians and
the media, they are bringing about what may one day be judged the
most profound transformation of human society.
I bought the book at one of the book stalls at the conference, it
Posted on 12-Dec-07 at 6:46 am | Permalinkwas stacked next to ‘End of Faith’ by Sam Harris.