MSNBC Guest Feasts On Thanksgiving, Laments About ‘Genocide and Violence’ Against Native and Black Americans
An MSNBC guest over the weekend railed against the meaning of Thanksgiving and lamented that it is about “genocide and violence” against Native Americans and Blacks.
On The Cross Connection on Saturday, writer Gyasi Ross presented the show’s “guest essay” where he said that “the mythology of Thanksgiving closely mirrors the mythology of America. That mythology is that image that White Americans love to see of themselves.”
“White settlers come to a strange land in good faith, bringing something of great value that enriches the people who are already here,” he continued. “The natives also bring something of immense value. Equal exchange. That closely mimics the mythology of White America. It is how America wants to see itself.”
However, said Ross, “the truth, of course, of Thanksgiving is much different.”
The truth is that pilgrims did not bring turkey, sweet potato pie or cranberries to Thanksgiving. They could not. They were broke. They were broken. Their hands were out. They were begging. They brought nothing of value. They got fed. They got schooled. Thanksgiving, it makes sense. There is much for White Americans to be thankful for. But I’m still trying to figure out what Indigenous people received of value. Instead of bringing stuffing and biscuits, those settlers brought genocide and violence.
That genocide and violence is still on the menu as state-sponsored violence against Native and Black Americans is commonplace. And violent private white supremacy is celebrated and subsidized. From Stonechild Chiefstick to Mike Brown to Renee Davis to Breonna Taylor to Eric Garner, indigenous and black people are still being murdered by those paid to protect us.
From Ahmaud Arbery to Trayvon Martin, white Americans are still killing Native and black Americans with no fear of reprisal. They brought chattel slavery to Africans and Native people that still happens through the prison-industrial complex that imprisons the descendants of enslaved Africans and Natives at far disparate numbers. That is the reality of Thanksgiving.
Many of us are still waiting for white Americans to bring some value — still waiting for white Americans to match the mythology of Thanksgiving. Freedom, justice, equality, reparations for two and a half billion acres of stolen Native land – reparations for 246 years of stolen labor – reparations for stealing Native children. Stop the killing – it’s still happening. Stop the theft — it’s still happening. Return the land – match the mythology. Then, and only then, we can all be equally thankful. Peace.
Watch above, via MSNBC.
