Don's Tuesday Column

            THE WAY I SEE IT   by Don Polson  Red Bluff Daily News   11/30/2021

“Let’s talk about…racism,” they say

Our national Thanksgiving celebration is, and always has been, devoid of race, religious fanaticism or clan and tribal animosity. Through presidential pronouncements, and Congressional affirmation and assignment, it has been the purest of holidays, uniting all in the admirable practice of giving thanks for life’s blessings: family, abundance (past, present or hoped for), health, freedom, peace or national victory in war.

Many provide those less fortunate with meals or clothing; the needs of commerce prompted moving the holiday to extend Christmas shopping. Still, there’s thanks to be had for expected gifts.

It’s regrettable that we must endure the annual “Thanksgiving is sullied by the mistreatment of Native Americans.” Progressive nags don’t possess the numbers or political and cultural heft to abolish Thanksgiving; they’d replace it with… national self-flagellation, weeping and gnashing of teeth over said mistreatment? (See “The war on Thanksgiving is real and it’s spectacular,” Jazz Shaw, hotair.com)

Not to excuse unjust practices by earlier Americans, it must be pointed out that 1) such practices were endemic to some tribes and nations already in North and South America—slavery, conquest, annihilation, even human sacrifice and cannibalism—and have been part of conflicts between nations and ethnic groups for all of mankind’s existence. There are no angelic peoples or “pure savages”;

2) Germs, steel and gunpowder effectively predetermined which groups—Europeans particularly—would prevail in the “New World.” The “small pox-laden blankets” trope is overblown; the germs carried by otherwise peaceful, non-aggressive settlers were destined to decimate native Indians. Unforgiving biology. Europeans were on the receiving end of germs inherent in Africa, decimating them and their cattle.

3) Bemoan the fall of the Aztecs all you want, but neighboring groups welcomed and helped the Spanish conquistadores—whose numbers couldn’t have single-handedly defeated the Aztecs—due to the inhuman oppression by Aztecs of those neighbors.

4) Be thankful that British-centric colonization prevailed, with its Christianity- and rights-based forms of governance. Other militarily superior nations would have done even worse to the Indians; Christian values and sensitivities tempered anti-Indian fervor, limited and abolished slavery.

A brief summary of the true lessons of the Pilgrim’s first “Thanksgiving”: Governor Bradford documented their collectivist, “communal” sharing of labor and its fruits. The “common store” principle—from each according to their ability, to each according to their need—was the first disastrous experiment in “socialism.” (see “America’s First Socialist Republic” powerlineblog.com)

Native Americans helped the settlers avoid starvation, sharing food production lessons from land and sea. However, when “all” were charged with working for “all” to benefit, human nature drove some—particularly young single men—to slack off. They resented that the fruits of their labor helped the families of men who weren’t producing what their offspring needed.

That communal economic failure, not the inability to produce, is what nearly killed them off, according to Bradford. Upon assigning a parcel to each family, together with the right to the fruits of one’s labor, as well as “he who will not work, will not eat” policies—abundance “miraculously” developed. Bartering with one’s excess enriched all. To this day, socialist, collectivist economies suffer the same disastrous fate.

“Not working” under well-intended COVID policies doesn’t result in starvation; it’s now become a lifestyle. Declining unemployment claims do not a thriving economy make; 4.4 million people quitting their jobs, while millions of job openings lack workers, institutionalizes “slacker-dom.” Why avoid deprivation by working, like generations before? The able-bodied collecting checks and benefits should work out well.

A Salvation Army guide, “Let’s Talk About…Racism,” perpetuates the “structural racism” canard: “the overarching system of racial biasing across institutions and society…These systems give privileges to White people resulting in disadvantages to People Of Color.” Does the local S.A. believe such crap?

This is “Critical Race Theory,” coming to a “Red Kettle” near you. Unless we White people engage in “ongoing self-awareness and self-reflection…we (un) consciously uphold aspects of White supremacy, White-dominant culture, and unequal institutions and society.”

Fret not, their “Study Guide on Racism” frees us from “unintentionally perpetuating injustice.” Home ownership, health, education and incarceration all reek of inequality, systemic racism and disparate (racist) outcomes, for which the guide suggests that we Whites deliver a “sincere apology.” As the crass saying goes, I got your sincere apology right here, buddy. Methinks government funding pollutes your values.

In the upside-down, “through the looking glass” view, the Christian church must repent—yes, the same Christian church that weighed in against mistreatment of Indians, provided the Christian, moral underpinnings of the abolitionist, anti-slavery movement, and the laudable Civil Rights movements and legislation.

 In the left’s twisted, abominable race obsession: 1) a young, white Kyle Rittenhouse is a “white supremacist” for shooting three white guys trying to kill him; but 2) ignore the racist motivations of lifelong Black criminal Darrell Brooks, who killed 5, and injured dozens of, White people (read “Waukesha killer Darrell Brooks’ enablers,” thenewneo.com).

“Darrell Brooks shared pro-Hitler memes, called for violence against white people,” by Lee Brown, (nypost.com, 11/24), documents rapper Brooks’ bragging that he was a “terrorist,” a “killer in the city” and encouraged knocking “white ppl [the f—k] out.” He posted “in support of BLM causes, George Floyd and black nationalism. He also has a post about how to get away with running people over on the street.” (Andy Ngo, 11/21)

His massacre resulted from “race-equity,” low/no cash bail, soft-on-crime, “social justice” prosecutors that know law-abiding people will suffer. It’s just “eggs cracked to make omelets” to the left.