And brining is the answer for a perfect moist turkey. The one we did this year was sensational!

If there were something inherently evil about being descended from Old Dead European White Males (well, except for the Sioux)I might consider atoning for it. There’s not, so I don’t.

In a different universe, Spain or France might have established Jamestown, and then where would we have been?

I believe our accomplishments such as citizen sovereignty (however contentious and sometimes frustrating), establishing constitutional republicanism that works, our history in the ongoing march toward embracing “all men (and women) are created equal”, and not least the several hundred thousand dead Americans planted in fields across the planet in payment for our and other’s freedoms moot any need for some sort of hair shirted existence.

I hope everyone had reason to give thanks yesterday. I know I did.

But to strip Thanksgiving of that grace and turn it into just another opportunity for reflexive, nasty bashing of political opponents betrays such a crabbed, wretched, bitter, and sad attitude that I could hardly bear to read to the end of the description of this Jenson’s idea — let alone go look it up on his site.

Pound cake and granny-smith-apple stuffing, on the other hand . . . now that’s a good idea!

Or do I have a attonement for my race (I’m mostly German and some Cherokee Indian)? So not only do I fail to see why I should try and attone for something I didn’t do or like but neither of my racial backgrounds did anything to you or those groups (the german end moved over before WWII and fought against the Nazi’s). Maybe being born in this country is somehow a sin? Don’t know about that, those “indeginous people” were born here too so are they atoning for thierselfs against thierselfs (and since I am part of them do I get a free pass)? And what about other minorities and emmigrants?

Eh, maybe if we were all one single race and all thought what our ancestors did was great then I would agree. Otherwise it seems pretty darn racists to believe what you wrote.

If Jenson wishes to start such a custom, reflecting first on his own sins of injustice, he might persuade some to join him.

And no, I don’t mean “I’m sorry, I should never have let those others get away with it.” What cheaply-bought sanctimony.

What fun, can’t wait.

In the meantime, I’m thankful today for the US Armed Forces comprised of every American make and model who are away from home fighting all so that I may live peacefully in my own.

One indication of moral progress in the United States would be the replacement of Thanksgiving Day and its self-indulgent family feasting with a National Day of Atonement accompanied by a self-reflective collective fasting.

In fact, indigenous people have offered such a model; since 1970 they have marked the fourth Thursday of November as a Day of Mourning in a spiritual/political ceremony on Coles Hill overlooking Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts, one of the early sites of the European invasion of the Americas.

Not only is the thought of such a change in this white-supremacist holiday impossible to imagine, but the very mention of the idea sends most Americans into apoplectic fits — which speaks volumes about our historical hypocrisy and its relation to the contemporary politics of empire in the United States.

A link from MM’s blog

Everyone — have a great Thanksgiving!!! Be thankful we have the freedom to express ourselves as we wish — without Big Brother and/or the UN looking over our shoulder.