Thanksgiving is a semi-religious holiday. Although it commemorates the successful end of a harvest season, it has been historically more than that.
This is important given that the political divisions in the country can be traced, in part, to a very powerful religious industry that uses God as the justification for seeking to be the chosen ones licensed to control a country and its people. The notion of selectivity as to who goes to heaven and who should run the nation is creating a sense that democracy should take a back seat to an emerging minority “who is called by God to continue to govern” despite the fact that democracy demands a demographic basis for majority rule.
History indicates that the first Thanksgiving can be traced back to the 52 surviving Pilgrims of the Plymouth Colony in 1521. The major ingredient to their success in holding the event were the Wampanoag people living nearby and who were instrumental in their survival.
Thanksgiving became an official part of our calendar in 1863 when President Lincoln, in the middle of the American Civil War fought, to some degree, to include racial justice, proclaimed it. Turkey and all the trimmings came later.
Thanksgiving forms part of a greater religious movement that was the product of Europe’s Renaissance symbolized by the Puritan Separatists that sought to bring the Protestant Reformation to America. Their movement denied the precepts of the Catholic Church and the Church of England because they mostly substituted the British monarch for the Pope.
The Separatist Plymouth Colony possessed another characteristic that is relevant to American history. They sought to separate themselves from the Indian people whose territory they invaded to establish their colony.
The irony is that the community lived on Indian corn for a year until the first harvest in Fall, 1521. Also, half of the settlers died during 1520-21and only 52 survived to celebrate the first Thanksgiving along with some 90 Wampanoag Indian visitors who continued to bring them food.
Thanksgiving this year appears to be on track to give families an opportunity to come together, eat together and enjoy each other’s company at least for a day. For most of us, this is also an opportunity to watch a little football.
The talk at gatherings, however, has increasingly gone in a direction that we were taught not to go. That is, the standard rule has been that we do not talk about politics or religion.
I am finding that there is so much to be concerned about that people have to have a talking outlet when they are together with others. The problem with doing that is even more severe among friends and family because opinions are so divided that talking about those things can lead to more estrangement.
At the same time in America, politics and religion have collapsed into one subject. That is that things like immigration, White nationalism, corruption, unconstitutional behavior and just plain lying have gone so deep into the utterances of mostly Christian pulpits that it has poisoned the well of refuge that the Church has traditionally provided.
Latinos in particular are affected with this because, in a sense, as the emerging majority, they are a major reason for the season of discontent. It seems that the future of the country and the destiny of these people have developed a close relationship.
As everyone comes together to celebrate Thanksgiving this Thursday, please pray for our country. Pray that it continues to hold the bounty of our ideals.
The views expressed by David Conde are not necessarily the views of LaVozColorado. Comments and responses may be directed to News@lavozcolorado.com.
