Thanks (mis) giving (s) and Bleak Friday.

2 days ago was the 2013 US version of Thanksgiving which falls on the 4th Thursday of November every year. The fact that America sets its own date for Thanksgiving is somewhat sullied by the peculiar original event that inspired it. The Plymouth colony of 1621 was lacking in resources from the homeland of England and had not made enough reserves by growing its own food. Squanto, a Patuxent Indian had however thought them to catch eels and grow corn in addition to which the Wampanoag Chief Massasoit had completed their food stores. Those settlers were grateful and kept the tradition going at various dates. So far so good.

The following events though are quite sad. British Lord Amherst during the French & Indian War prior to the Revolution and Independence is credited with the idea of having offered smallpox infested blankets to the Indians, knowing full well that they were not immunized to the disease as Europeans were and thus hoping to eradicate them! Some think Lord Amherst’s involvement is not proved as the most known record instead names one of his officers. Documents preserved by the Library of Congress do however confirm the heavy racism of the officer in question and that he knew of the plan.

It is worth nothing here that later stories circulated to the effect that the same process was used by the US Army and those have indeed never been substantiated. Still, starting with George Washington and going on until the 20th century, an effort to assimilate the Indians of America did exist. That and the numerous Indian wars almost completely eliminated the US Native tribes, the descendant of which now comprise less than one percent of the total population of the United States.

Under consideration of which, the fact that Thanskgiving is locally specific is of very bad taste to say the least as it is quite certain that those who were initially thanked have been repaid in a deliriously mean manner and likely would find the celebration unsavory?

But before moving on to the following day and subject, let’s exonerate the USA as a nation by comparison. Canada to the North although it is less known has also done a good job of relegating its Indians to second rate status? The natives up north are twice as numerous as in the US but thus still do not reach 2%? It is hard if even possible to evaluate properly how many people lived on the American continent before the Europeans’ arrival but it is mathematically incontrovertible that they made up 100% of the local population! So you tell me, that is still due to the British influence as Canada too was under their Dominion?

Well, in fact no! All through the Central and Southern parts of the American land mass, the situation ended up pretty much the same!

To the exception of Bolivia where they remain the majority ( 55% ), Peru and Guatemala still have above 40% natives and Ecuador gets a nod at 25% Belize and Mexico retain over 10% but all the rest have less? Special recognition goes to Brazil, Uruguay, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Grenada % Haiti that have reached below half a percent and even zero or about for the last 3!

We took their lands and gave them reservations, both senses! We took their traditions and beliefs and gave them lies and desolation. We took their majestic continent and disfigured it, trading their link to nature for our total absence of one. We took their pride and gave them alcohol and charity? Descendants of the Old Lands can give thanks all they want but the local inhabitants certainly regret Columbus ever setting sail?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas

Sources :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)

http://www.nativeweb.org/pages/legal/amherst/lord_jeff.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Indian_Wars

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_assimilation_of_Native_Americans

http://quod.lib.umich.edu/p/plag/5240451.0001.009/–did-the-us-army-distribute-smallpox-blankets-to-indians?rgn=main;view=fulltext

The day following Thanksgiving is just as sad a tradition. Mercantilism has the peddlers of ware chose that day to offer their last real savings before the Christmas season. For at the beginning odf December, most shops bring their prices up. This allows them to profit maximally of the perceived need of most people to go wild on a smorgasbord of buying for the Nativity of Christ despite the fact that the said man/prophet/God shunned money and worldly possessions? Thus, as the end of the buying spree comes, they can proudly proclaim 25% reduction on products previously marked up by as much as 40% which still remains above standard prices?

[ 100$ + 40% = 140 and 140 – 25% = 105$ ]
http://www.cbc.ca/news/black-friday-deals-no-guarantee-of-retail-bonanza-1.2439556

Knowing which, poor folks rush to sales on Black Friday hoping to make a saving when there are actually better times and places ( such as Internet which now rises over real world sales ) to do so? And by Jove do they rush at it!

Yesterday saw :  at least one shopper shot over a TV and others shot by the police ( one dead ); evacuations from over-runned shops ; a bomb threat; numerous injured law enforcement officers; a woman tazed and another spitting on a competitor’s kid as well as your run of the mill burglars and thieves?

http://www.torontosun.com/2013/11/29/man-slashed-in-virginia-parking-spot-fight-on-eve-of-black-friday
http://www.suntimes.com/news/24084005-418/men-charged-in-black-friday-shoplifting-incident-appear-in-court.html
http://www.news.com.au/world/america-kicks-off-2-day-shopping-frenzy-as-black-friday-eats-into-thanksgiving/story-fndir2ev-1226771839645
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/29/black-friday-violence_n_4360899.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/30/woman-tasered-black-frida_n_4363767.html

This is ridiculous on so many levels! Hopes to save instead of hopes to be saved on the spiritual side but further than that, a strict lack of logic? You fight over a TV and end up in the hospital? Knowing the cost of health bills in the US, how can that be less than the 300% you managed not to dish out? Alternatively, fight over the TV, win, pay, go home to install it and find that it was damaged in the brawl and of course is not refundable ‘cause you know … final sale? Fight the police, face the judge, go to jail and when your cellmate comments on your “purrty underwear”, beam and proclaim proudly that you got ‘em at a 60% markdown? Rush at the kitchen appliances section, grab the best item and zap, flip flop on the floor like an epileptic fish on the bottom of the bottom of the boat?_“Did you get the milkshake machine you wanted, darling?” -”Nope, just a bad case of the shakes!”_ And of course, 900 million bucks for the shop owners, 250 million dollars in assorted costs for the Police, city and malls comparing to 50 or a hundred quids saved by the shopper!

I can avoid asking the question to use the pun :

Is it really worth the cost?

But again, before you question the unbridled rampant American capitalism for this Bleak Friday, do check here :

http://globalnews.ca/news/997366/black-friday-tradition-explodes-in-canada/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25161829

Yup, it has reached Canada and England! And most likely others are soon to follow? So yes, it came from America but you can’t honestly condemn them for their bad traits AND copy them? Sure, being top dog puts them in the limelight but hey, remember the old phrase : If someone jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?

America has its faults, true enough. and those 2 past days are not its best. But others also err? And as I often said, it is surprising how even the worst of the gang can rise to do good. For instance, I personally believe G.W. Bush to have been one of the worst President in the history of America. And yet … and yet, he also made a small but elegant change that relates to our stories :

President George W. Bush signed into law legislation introduced by Congressman Joe Baca (D-Rialto), to designate the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day. The Native American Heritage Day Bill was supported by the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) and 184 federally recognized tribes, and designates Friday, November 28, 2008, as a day to pay tribute to Native Americans for their many contributions to the United States.

A lot more fitting than Black ( or Buy Nothing ) FriDay, wouldn’t you say?

So many shades of reality …

Tay.

Additional reading :

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/11/29/3005101/walmart-workers-risking-arrest-strike/

and viewing, video links :

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/131129/capitalism-unhinged-black-friday-sales-hit-the-0