Newsweek Discovers 'Anti-Thanksgiving,' Forgets Indigenous History
Newsweek's piece frames 'Anti-Thanksgiving' as a contemporary phenomenon, discussing things like 'blackout poetry' and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. (Is this really the most pressing angle for uncovering historical injustice?) It suggests a recent 're-examination' of Thanksgiving, as if Indigenous voices haven't been screaming about this for centuries. The real 'conventional wisdom' they refuse to
engage with is the actual history of colonial violence and land theft that preceded—and enabled—that first 'feast.' While Newsweek debates whether to replace turkey with cranberry sauce, many Indigenous communities annually observe a National Day of Mourning. This tradition, dating back to 1970, remembers the genocide and cultural decimation suffered since the Pilgrims' arrival, a history far more
substantial than any pop culture reference. Perhaps if they spent less time analyzing Buffy and more time listening to actual historical accounts, their 'Conventional Wisdom' might actually be, well, wise.