Thanksgiving vandalism

« THANKSGIVING VANDALISM: “LAND BACK” SPRAYED ON US STATUES This article untitled “…” was published by CNN, a lean left media, and describes multiple events of vandalism that happened in 2020 in the US on Thanksgiving.

Statues of Presidents and other public infrastructures were vandalized with messages advocating for the return of Native American lands.

This act of protest is linked to the historical grievances of Native Americans, who view Thanksgiving as a day of mourning, highlighting the injustices, including land theft and cultural oppression, they have endured throughout history. This article mainly describes the multiple acts of vandalism that took place the fourth Thursday of November 2020, on Thanksgiving.

For example: - vandals targeted statues of three U.S.

Presidents o a statue in Minneapolis of George Washington, the first American President o a statue in Chicago of former President William McKinley (1897-1901).

Vandals attempted to bring it down using a rope attached to a vehicle.

The phrase "land back" was observed on the statue's pedestal. o A statue in Spokane of former President Abraham Lincoln was marred with red paint - Several graffiti were made on the statues bearing messages such as "no thanks," "no more genocide," "decolonize," and "land back." - In Portland, three individuals were arrested for vandalizing and breaking windows in over ten businesses.

These included grocery stores, banks, an auto service center, and more. However, despite these acts of vandalism, no arrests were made in neither of the three cities mentioned. For Native Americans, the fourth Thursday of November, Thanksgiving, is a "National Day of Mourning," acknowledging the historical injustice against Native Americans, including land theft and cultural oppression.

For instance, a plaque in Plymouth, Massachusetts, near the site of the 1621 shared meal between Pilgrims and an indigenous tribe states that Thanksgiving is reminder of the genocide, land theft, and cultural assault endured by Native peoples. At this stage, I would like to expand further on the second part of what is written on the plaque: “Participants in National Day of Mourning honour Native ancestors and the struggles of Native peoples to survive today” I believe this sentence highlights the significance of memory in the eyes of Native Americans, but also the controversial way they are attempting to honour the memory of their ancestors, by destroying some public infrastructures.

We could therefore ask ourselves “to what extent this controversial situation of vandalism during Thanksgiving underlines a deeper internal division in the American society?” I- Historically, the United States is a divided country regarding ethnics. 1.

Slavery and Jim Crow Era: The institution of slavery was a deeply divisive issue from the country's inception.

The Civil War (18611865) was fought in part over the question of slavery.

Even after the Emancipation Proclamation and the abolition of slavery, the Jim Crow era (late 19th and early 20th centuries) enforced racial segregation and discrimination, particularly in the Southern states. 2.

Immigration Waves and Nativism: Different waves of immigration brought diverse ethnic and cultural groups to the U.S. Each wave faced its own set of challenges and prejudices.

For example, Irish immigrants in the mid-19th century faced discrimination, as did Chinese immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 3.

Native American Displacement and Assimilation: The forced removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands, such as the Trail of Tears in the 1830s, exemplifies the division between Native American communities and the U.S.

government. Additionally, policies like forced assimilation through boarding schools further deepened this divide. A literal example relating the tragic history of Native American tribes in the American West during the late 19th century is Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown.

The book provides a heartbreaking account of the relentless encroachment, forced relocations, and violent conflicts imposed upon Native communities by the U.S.

government and military.

Through a series of detailed narratives, Brown portrays the devastating impact of broken treaties, massacres, and cultural suppression on tribes like the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Apache.

The title itself, "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee," is a poignant reflection of the profound loss and sorrow endured by Native Americans during this dark period in American history. II- The division in the American society is also perceived through some symbols which can be seen as sources of national pride by some, or on the contrary, symbols of oppression for others. - George Washington served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775- 1783).

His leadership played a crucial role in the American independence.

He is therefore a symbol of independence and liberty for some Americans.

However, according to some of the Natives who vandalized the former president statue, he is a symbol of the colonization and dispossession of Native lands.

Indeed, Washington played a major role in the expansion of.... »