Well first of all, race is a social construct. Theres nothing inherent about a race. So racist itself is a social term and therefore could blow in the wind depending on who says it.
Much like christmas, I don't think anyone gives a fat **** about the actual tradition of the holiday, for most people its a day we're forced to eat with people we share genetic codes with, and wear that stupid sewater we got last christmas to make them think we liked it.
I've never heard of anyone sitting around their thanksgiving table saying "Jesus, thank you for killing all the indians." No one is thankful there was a genocide. And I don't think the holiday is a celebration of it.
Do I think Native Americans are out of line, no. I mean, a genocide was committed, and I think that if they are going to remind people of it (which they should because otherwise people would forget) this is the time since we vaugely recollect that this is when the pilgrams broke bread with the indians. But I don't think we should call for a removeale of the holiday, or blame current white people for it.
When the settlers came, they didn't allow women to vote or own land, kids were owned like property, and they burned people because they thought they were witches. We are clearly not the same people.
I live in Ma, and have my whole life, Im here in the middle of it, we learned a great multitude about the instances. Now they don't teach second graders about it because its kind of hard to explain "genocide" to an eight year old, but by the time you hit high school you know the real dirt that went on.
Is it racist? No. Can people see it that way? Yes. Ill gladly tolerate Native Americans observing a national day of morning, but I've had quite enough of hippy white teens telling me for each bite of turkey I relish in the blood of an indigenous people. Shave your legs and take a bath you ****ing fruit loop. I've killed no one.
|