Whitewashed history of Thanksgiving

To the Editor:

This Thanksgiving, please keep indigenous people in your minds and hearts. Do not forget about their struggle. Be aware that on Thanksgiving, the United American Indians of New England are holding a “National Day of Mourning” in Plymouth, Mass.

Many do not celebrate the arrival of colonists because it is a reminder of genocide and the theft of native lands. In fact, the theft of native lands is happening right now, as we enjoy Thanksgiving with our families. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is tirelessly fighting against the Dakota Access Pipeline. This pipeline will pollute their water and run through their sacred land and burial grounds. Law enforcement has gotten unethically violent with them. Native Americans and their allies are being tear gassed, shot with rubber bullets and water hoses in freezing temperatures.

I deeply believe there is something very troubling about our culture, with the fact that corporations profit off of Thanksgiving, glorifying a whitewashed history, while indigenous people are still being oppressed and exploited right now. My intention with this post is not to make anyone feel guilty for celebrating, rather, raise awareness of these issues and maybe take the opportunity to talk about them with your families. Support the National Day of Mourning without traveling to Plymouth by visiting http://

uaine.org/If%20you%20cant%20make%20it%20to%20Plymouth%202015.pdf. Here is where to donate to Standing Rock and also get more information: http://standwithstandingrock.net/

donate/

Elizabeth Quaranto

Johnston