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Let us mourn at Thanksgiving

Seattle School District Wants To Mourn On Thanksgiving

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The Seattle School District wants teachers and parents to be a little more sensitive on Turkey Day.

It started three years ago, when some Native American parents voiced concerns about how Thanksgiving was being observed in Seattle schools.

"In terms of what they were seeing in some of the use of the feathers and those things, because those are of spiritual and ceremonial significance to us," says concerned parents D.D. Boutwell.

For the past three years, the Seattle School District has sent a letter to teachers and staff, telling them "Thanksgiving can be a difficult time for many native students."

This year's letter references a Native American historical website that outlines what it calls myths about Thanksgiving.

Myth number 11 - Thanksgiving is a happy time.

The letter also asks teachers to understand that Thanksgiving is a "time of mourning" for many Indian people, and a "reminder of 500 years of betrayal."

Some parents say it's political correctness gone too far.

School officials are quick to say that this letter does not signify a first shot fired in a war on Thanksgiving, and they say teachers are not being told to do anything different in the classroom.

Local Native American leaders add that not everyone in their community sees Thanksgiving negatively, but there is still plenty of hurt that can only be healed by a deeper understanding of our history.

Nothing like teaching our kids a little self-flagellation for sins of the past, eh? Could someone enlighten the Seattle school district on the definition of 'thanksgiving,' or perhaps what it means to live in the present?

Meanwhile, have a happy Thanksgiving everyone, I certainly intend to do so. Or go ahead, tell me why I should mourn over Thanksgiving...

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Originally Posted by speechlesstx

Could someone enlighten the Seattle school district...

Apparently not!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Originally Posted by CaptainRich

Apparently not!

Happy Thanksgiving!

And to you and yours as well. But curse those Patriots - go Cowboys! :D

If anyone needs to mourn on Thanksgiving day, it's the family of that big fat turkey I have in my freezer. They probably will mourn his demise since they are smarter than the people that thought this crap up! Any way, Cheers!

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Originally Posted by speechlesstx

And to you and yours as well. But curse those Patriots - go Cowboys! :D

They - could - go - all - the - way..!

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Originally Posted by magprob

If anyone needs to mourn on Thanksgiving day, it's the family of that big fat turkey I have in my freezer. They probably will mourn his demise since they are smarter than the people that thought this crap up! Any way, Cheers!

Double my serving, and please pass the mashed potatoes...

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Originally Posted by magprob

If anyone needs to mourn on Thanksgiving day, it's the family of that big fat turkey I have in my freezer. They probably will mourn his demise since they are smarter than the people that thought this crap up! Any way, Cheers!

That has to be one of the nastiest cracks ever posted here. (Well deserved too)

I certainly plan to join you in that Happy Thanksgiving! I though that the Indians actually celebrated that first Thanksgiving along with the pilgrims ; isn't that part of the tradition? And I hardly think that the scrumptious feast that they enjoyed was a "time of mourning." Granted, a lot of pilgrims didn't survive that first winter but the Thanksgiving Celebration was a celebration of those who survived and ultimately thrived.

Happy Thanksgiving to all My American family and friends.

We in Canada celebrated it in October. Hope you all have a great family holiday.

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Originally Posted by labman

That has to be one of the nastiest cracks ever posted here. (Well deserved too)

I thank you for that but I've had nastier cracks.

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Originally Posted by CaptainRich

They - could - go - all - the - way ...!!!!

They - could - spoil - my - fantasy - season!! I face Brady and Moss again this week and Maroney is a no-show for me this year. And yet, in keeping with the theme of the post I am thankful for Romo, Owens, the Pats Defense and Wes Welker - when I start him on a good week :)

Steve ;

John Stossel has an interesting take on Thanksgiving in today's NY Sun

[I]The Tragedy of the Commons
BY JOHN STOSSEL - JFS Productions, Inc.
November 21, 2007
URL: The Tragedy of the Commons - November 21, 2007 - The New York Sun

Every year around this time, schoolchildren are taught about that wonderful day when Pilgrims and Native Americans shared the fruits of the harvest. "Isn't sharing wonderful?" say the teachers.

They miss the point.

Because of sharing, the first Thanksgiving in 1623 almost didn't happen.

The failure of Soviet communism is only the latest demonstration that freedom and property rights, not sharing, are essential to prosperity. The earliest European settlers in America had a dramatic demonstration of that lesson, but few people today know it.

When the Pilgrims first settled the Plymouth Colony, they organized their farm economy along communal lines. The goal was to share everything equally, work and produce.

They nearly all starved.

Why? When people can get the same return with a small amount of effort as with a large amount, most people will make little effort.

Plymouth settlers faked illness rather than working the common property. Some even stole, despite their Puritan convictions. Total production was too meager to support the population, and famine resulted. Some ate rats, dogs, horses and cats. This went on for two years.

"So as it well appeared that famine must still ensue the next year also, if not some way prevented," Governor Bradford wrote in his diary. The colonists, he said, "began to think how they might raise as much corn as they could, and obtain a better crop than they had done, that they might not still thus languish in misery. At length after much debate of things, (with the advice of the chiefest among them) gave way that they should set corn every man for his own particular, and in that regard trust to themselves. … And so assigned to every family a parcel of land." The people of Plymouth moved from socialism to private farming. The results were dramatic.

"This had very good success," Bradford wrote, "for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been. ... By this time harvest was come, and instead of famine, now God gave them plenty, and the face of things was changed, to the rejoicing of the hearts of many. ... " Because of the change, the first Thanksgiving could be held in November 1623. What Plymouth suffered under communalism was what economists today call the tragedy of the commons. But the problem has been known since ancient Greece.

As Aristotle noted, "That which is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it."

When action is divorced from consequences, no one is happy with the ultimate outcome. If individuals can take from a common pot regardless of how much they put in it, each person has an incentive to be a free rider, to do as little as possible and take as much as possible because what one fails to take will be taken by someone else.

Soon, the pot is empty and will not be refilled — a bad situation even for the earlier takers.

What private property does — as the Pilgrims discovered — is connect effort to reward, creating an incentive for people to produce far more. Then, if there's a free market, people will trade their surpluses to others for the things they lack. Mutual exchange for mutual benefit makes the community richer.

Secure property rights are the key. When producers know that their future products are safe from confiscation, they will take risks and invest. But when they fear they will be deprived of the fruits of their labor, they will do as little as possible.

That's the lost lesson of Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving .Don't let those Jets fans intimidate your women ! Don't worry about the PATS . The Giants will deal with them the last week of the season (unless Belichek cheats again)

Hello Its:

I don't know. I live in Seattle. I'm not real PC myself.. I think the rain does it... Or, maybe it was the turkey I sent 'em with my "special" stuffing...

excon

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Originally Posted by tomder55

The failure of Soviet communism is only the latest demonstration that freedom and property rights, not sharing, are essential to prosperity. The earliest European settlers in America had a dramatic demonstration of that lesson, but few people today know it.[/I][/I]

I don't recall ever learning that lesson myself. It surely will not be taught in this day in public schools.

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Happy Thanksgiving .Don't let those Jets fans intimidate your women ! Don't worry about the PATS . The Giants will deal with them the last week of the season (unless Belichek cheats again)

Ain't no Jets fan going to intimidate Texas women. I haven't been to a Jets game in Dallas, but for the most part fans of the visiting team tend to be pretty well behaved and a lot of fun (even Giants fans) - except for those Philthydelphia fans - they're the rudest, crudest bunch I've ever seen. I'm counting on the Gnats to beat the Pats just because they need a good whoopin'. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too tom - and since Brady likely spoiled my fantasy season - go GNATS. :)

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Originally Posted by excon

Hello Its:

I dunno. I live in Seattle. I'm not real PC myself.. I think the rain does it.... Or, maybe it was the turkey I sent 'em with my "special" stuffing.......

excon

Man I needed that laugh :D

Happy Thanksgiving, excon the stuffing mon!

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Originally Posted by Jesushelper76

Happy Thanksgiving to all My American family and friends.

We in Canada celebrated it in October. Hope you all have a great family holiday.

Thanks, hope yours was great as well.

Here is what I meant by the Jets fans. They are pond scum.

New Jersey lawmaker calls for crackdown on harassment during Jets halftime - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

My fantasy team is all smoke and mirrors. My Win/loss record is great but if you check out the power ratiings my team is average in points and overall break down... just slightly better than Foehammer . You just don't get wins. My big test will be next week against Redskinrule The best team in our league (unless Brady gets hurt) .

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Originally Posted by tomder55

Here is what I meant by the Jets fans. They are pond scum.

New Jersey lawmaker calls for crackdown on harassment during Jets halftime - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

My fantasy team is all smoke and mirrors. My Win/loss record is great but if you check out the power ratiings my team is average in points and overall break down ...just slightly better than Foehammer . You just don't get wins. My big test will be next week against Redskinrule The best team in our league (unless Brady gets hurt) .

I knew what you were talking about, I heard that this morning. That won't fly at Texas Stadium. That's the thing about FF, it IS smoke and mirrors. I have one team that's 7-4, 4th overall but no. 1 in the power ratings. I do expect to go to 11-1 on ESPN this week, though. Good luck with the Skins, my entire team - bench and all - would have won by 3 last week. :D