Thanksgiving Day From A Native American Perspective

This is a belated post, which I wrote back in 2014. Slipped my mind to share it here this Thanksgiving. But thanks to WC member, Celie Rose, I will share it here now.

Thanksgiving Day From A Native American Perspective

Written By Marvin Thomas Cox Flynn de Graham

Copyright © 2014 Marvin Thomas Cox

DBA: Marvin Thomas Cox Flynn de Graham

All Rights Reserved

On this greatly esteemed and celebrated day in America, in the aftermath of, historically, how we each came to be in this land now called America, I wonder what Native Americans have to celebrate on this American Thanksgiving Day, having been swindled, robbed, lied to, raped, pillaged, murdered, imprisoned upon (Internment camps?) Govt. Reservations, what could any Native American Indian have to be thankful for in foolish hope of wishing to believe that maybe there really is a God up there who does right wrongs and takes vengeance in defense of the weak and the helpless? ...

Perhaps the answer to such questions may be found within that modern day realm of legalized gambling and Native Americans who possess the hard earned wisdom to build Casinos on the very lands upon which they were so long held prisoner, to now see the White man paying for (at least a few of) his sins against their peoples, while smiling all the way to the bank �" much like the dumb fools their own forefathers appeared to be upon accepting worthless gifts in exchange for land and peace from the White man. Except now, the tables have been somewhat turned.

While his pockets are being fleeced, it is now the White man who cannot hold his liquor in spending money he cannot afford to lose (much like the very lands and heritage Native Americans could not afford to lose) to look forward to a hangover the next morning without a red cent to buy a little of the hair of the dog in licking his self inflicted financial wounds. Of course, mercifully(?), the hooch is free in most Casinos as long as one has money to gamble away in a desperate attempt to recoup that which one has lost; willing to wager all no matter the cost as the fire water which blinded the judgment of Native Americans in the past now serves to induce blindness to an addiction that (in a metaphorical sense) milks monetary retribution from the udders dangling beneath that bag of utterly insurmountable debt of all which the White man cheated and swindled Native Americans out of as a result of the European invasion and conquest of this continent.

Some may surmise this change in the playing field as truly being the result of Karma's visitation or long overdue answered prayers of innocents slaughtered in the name of a God who stood idly by and did nothing to slow the encroaching advancement of a European civilization that conquered through the right of might in name of righteousness only, for any such tattered rags of the White man's self professed righteousness were used to brandish the very torches which lit the path to justifying the European invasion of this land we call America. I choose to call it a less than ample serving of turnabout fair play.

So, as you enjoy your turkey and dressing with all the traditional trimmings take a moment to meditate upon those who made this day possible; America's original citizens, originally independent, originally free, until the White man crossed the sea to remove Native Americans of the burden of owning this beautiful land we have come to call America The Beautiful.

Happy Thanksgiving America! Gamble responsibly, lose graciously, and remember: Karma may not exist, God may not give a damn, but Native American Casino Owners are having their day in the sun and are undoubtedly enjoying every minute of it as a true expression of Poetic Justice.

(Written November 27th , 2014)

Reviews

[Dave Brown]

I am inclined to think things are not over yet
Much native land, even in the form of govt. established reservations, was illegally taken (stolen) from them and it is a realistic scenario that the situation could still end up in the courts, similar to what is taking place in Canada

[Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham]

One never knows, nor would I dare to theorize.