Essay 246

A Hearty Helping of Thanksgiving MultiCultClassics Minutes…

• The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe in Massachusetts continues to seek federal recognition, hoping for things including self-government and federal aid. The ancestors of these Massachusetts Indians partied with the Pilgrims on the first Thanksgiving. But federal recognition for the tribe has become a slow, complex process with few signs of progress or success. Then again, by now these folks should be used to the frustrations of dealing with the White Man.

• The Anti-Defamation League wants Michael Jackson to apologize for his insulting remarks about Jews. “Michael Jackson has an anti-Semitic streak and hasn’t learned from his past mistakes,” said ADL director Abraham H. Foxman. “It seems every time he has a problem in his life, he blames it on Jews.” Or LaToya.

• “What are we waiting for to set everything aflame? What are we waiting for to no longer follow the rules of the game? …We have nothing to lose because we had nothing to start with. I wouldn’t sleep soundly if I were you. The bourgeoisie can quake, the scum are in town.” (Lyrics from French rapper Supreme NTM, originally presented from his album released in 1995.)

• The New York Times presented a nice article with a different cultural spin on Thanksgiving. To feast on the piece, simply click on the essay title.