Hello,
America is celebrating it's 251st Thanksgiving on Thursday thanks to Abraham Lincoln and Sarah Josepha Hale. American Thanksgivings carry traditions and with such, we also proclaim God's divine providence for the bountiful harvest bestowed upon us by giving thanks in our own way.
Traditions as stated in custom:
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which is going to turn 90 this year
- American Football (Detroit and Dallas always have guaranteed games on Thanksgiving)
- Stuffing a turkey with just that "STUFFING"
- Giving Thanks
- Breaking The Wishbone
- College Basketball Games (Been traditional since 1991)
- More than 90 million will take to the road and air
- Food Drives and Charity
- Church Services on the night prior or on the day.
- A large family meal
A lot of traditions and great things but it seems more and more like America is treading on thin ice with these customs. How are we treading on thin ice? Well folks, it's coming from our own people
Some Native American indians and college professors say: "You're doing it wrong!"
There has been some what of a movement with a "unthanksgiving day" held out Alcatraz Island for the last 40 years as Native Americans believe that Thanksgiving Day is a custom associated with the genocide of Native Americans by European Settlers.
One college professor, Robert Jensen, states that: "One indication of moral progress in America is the replacement of a holiday that promotes self-indulgent family feasting with a night of collective fasting and reflection." (His belief is in this hyperlink: Why we shouldn't celebrate Thanksgiving)
My answer: You basically want us to go hungry. We reflect in church, how about that?
Another states: "We don't have to feel guilty but we must have to feel something."
My answer: I don't know, I feel pretty good right now. I don't feel guilty about sharing my time with friends and family. We pray at the table, that's how we feel something. We pray for those who don't have food to eat, our soldiers who aren't home... We feel for them.
An unknown professor at MIT states: "Thanksgiving is one day that Americans pretty much piss on the ashes of those who were here first. It is a holiday that we must terminate."
My answer: Now you're just being a bit extreme.
Those are the negative remarks. Sure, there's going to be a cast of many who basically say: "Hey, this is wrong. We shouldn't do this."
Another huge controversy is the removal of God from Thanksgiving as the secular movement continues to ride high in America. The National Thanksgiving Proclamation made by George Washington in 1789 said this and I QUOTE: "To give thanks to the ALMIGHTY for HIS divine providence" and "be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that GREAT AND GLORIOUS BEING, who is the beneficent author of the good that was, that is, or will be."
God is being removed from pretty much everything so why stop there. We as Americans are forgetting that Thanksgiving was founded under the principles of "HIS DIVINE PROVIDENCE" and "GIVING THANKS TO THE ALMIGHTY."
Now come on folks, you know better than this. Read the proclamation again.
BUT... there are some positive remarks to Thanksgiving and it's not all universally negative by the Native Americans.
One person, Tim Giago of the NAJA states that Thanksgiving traditions that Americans carry are perfectly aligned with the Native American tradition. He compared the American Thanksgiving to "wopila", a Thanksgiving tradition carried by the Native Americans of the Great Plains.
Ok, wopila it is! Sounds reasonable and most acceptable.
The Oneida Indian Nation (who's against the Redskins name) states that Thanksgiving is a spirited time to gather and share the bounty of the harvest. They even have a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade called the "True Spirit of Thanksgiving." At least they don't have a problem with it.
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Thanksgiving is also getting real bad in terms of early holiday shopping. It is the one day where commerce must cease to allow those to spend time with family and friends and rest up for "Black Friday," which is the TRUE day for shopping.
Many malls are stepping up their game to get people to shop early. For instance, a mall in New York states: "You better be open by 6pm or pay a penalty."
(Record rips)
A PENALTY?! Can't we celebrate the holiday WITHOUT having to open up early? Nope, Corporate America's greedy hand is taking away from those traditions. Picture this: You sit down, about to enjoy a meal, you hear your phone ring, and your boss says: WHERE ARE YOU!!!!! WE'RE OPEN ON THANKSGIVING. You get up and leave without even having a bite of the great meal your mom and grandmother fixed up...
This is one tradition that needs to cease: OPENING UP ON THANKSGIVING NIGHT! Let people enjoy their holiday rest and let them SLEEP IN! Are we this greedy in America???
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Tomorrow, I'll be sending out my greasy buckets of Thanksgiving gratitude for a 3rd time. Thanking those of the stupid, abysmal, and completely ungrateful people of the year.
Wednesday, the ever famous Questions to the Editor heads to the VIIIth edition with talking about famed Thanksgivings (1995, 2011, and 2013), why we need to keep God in Thanksgiving, and other assortments.
On Thursday, I'll be releasing the results of what has been such a big issue in America for Thanksgiving and also polls from other magazines and outlets...
On Friday, The Red-Blacks of Commerce talks about the hellish time that comes around with "Black Friday" and why corporate greed just overshadows the true meaning of Christmas. Also why it's time to make the Friday after Thanksgiving a holiday as well even though there's so much objection to it because it's too expensive.
On Saturday, Promoting small businesses the right way.
On Sunday, each Advent sermon will start with a paragraph from an anonymous person who wrote me last year and why Christmas Eve's blog will be very important to us all.
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Traditional foods you will typically see
If you a German, Jewish, or someone living in Baltimore: You will typically see a helping of sauerkraut on the table. The sauerkraut dates back to the times of the "Rye Bread" streets of Baltimore.
If you are Italian: Lasagna is usually on the table. The significance of the Lasagna dates back to the times of King Victor Emmanuel. Victor Emmanuel was very fond of the American Thanksgiving.
If you are French: French old world bread, clotted butter, honey biscuits, and pot roast.
If you are on the West Coast: Dungeness Crab is a huge staple along the coastal cities of California and Washington.
If you live on the Gulf Coast: Pineapple Salad, "Burnt" Red Gravy, and clams.
But in every aspect, there's always the turkey. Whether roasted, smoked, fried... you name it... It's the main staple.
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Traditional foods you will typically see
If you a German, Jewish, or someone living in Baltimore: You will typically see a helping of sauerkraut on the table. The sauerkraut dates back to the times of the "Rye Bread" streets of Baltimore.
If you are Italian: Lasagna is usually on the table. The significance of the Lasagna dates back to the times of King Victor Emmanuel. Victor Emmanuel was very fond of the American Thanksgiving.
If you are French: French old world bread, clotted butter, honey biscuits, and pot roast.
If you are on the West Coast: Dungeness Crab is a huge staple along the coastal cities of California and Washington.
If you live on the Gulf Coast: Pineapple Salad, "Burnt" Red Gravy, and clams.
But in every aspect, there's always the turkey. Whether roasted, smoked, fried... you name it... It's the main staple.
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That's that... Keep with the traditions but... on Thursday, you'll see why some Thanksgiving Traditions have become a problem with others (and not extreme views like some Native American Tribes have had). I'm talking about "Being on the inside of Thanksgiving Traditions."
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~ Joshua
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