Comments for Virtual Bourgeois

Comment on “Mommy, is Thanksgiving a fraud?” by Gerald

Gerald — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:07:52 +0000

I really took this to heart. I tried to talk about all of this in terms of similarities and differences between the two groups and a little about why they might not understand each other – but aimed at 4 year olds. I have no real sense of how it went.

Comment on “Mommy, is Thanksgiving a fraud?” by Gerald

Gerald — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:04:34 +0000

As it turned out the dialogue was more like this:

Me: … and so they used sharpened oyster shells for knives.

Child 1: Bears live in the woods!

Child 2: I shot an arrow over my house!

Child 3: (Silently – but quickly – raises her hand and then immediately blushes and says nothing when called upon)

Child 4: I’ve got a question about (some sounds approximating the words “Native Americans”)

Me: Okay!

Child 4: I… uhh… I… I got a new toy!

Me: Cool!

Child 4: Yeah! Its (insert excited but incomprehensible exclamations concerning said new toy).

Me: Okay, so does anyone know why the Pilgrims needed help from the Native Americans?

…

I’m afraid there was very little clever about it, but at least I didn’t make any of them cry.

Comment on “Mommy, is Thanksgiving a fraud?” by Steve

Steve — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:14:34 +0000

Maybe you could organize a short scene reading from “Pangs”:

Spike: I just can’t take all this mamby-pamby boo-hooing about the bloody Indians.
Willow: Uh, the preferred term is…
Spike: You won. All right? You came in and you killed them and you took their land. That’s what conquering nations do. It’s what Caesar did, and he’s not goin’ around saying, “I came, I conquered, I felt really bad about it.” The history of the world is not people making friends. You had better weapons, and you massacred them. End of story.
Buffy: Well, I think the Spaniards actually did a lot of – Not that I don’t like Spaniards.
Spike: Listen to you. How you gonna fight anyone with that attitude?
Willow: We don’t wanna fight anyone.
Buffy: I just wanna have Thanksgiving.
Spike: Heh heh. Yeah… Good luck.
Willow: Well, if we could talk to him…
Spike: You exterminated his race. What could you possibly say that would make him feel better? It’s kill or be killed here. Take your bloody pick.
Xander: Maybe it’s the syphilis talking, but, some of that made sense.

It’s fun, insightful, Thanksgiving fun!

(Still chuckling– in an endearing, understanding tone– at the thought of a grandfather Christmas Gerald with a sea of children gathered round to hear about genocide…)

Comment on I’m a History Teacher by Paul Swendson

Paul Swendson — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:24:35 +0000

Amen, brother. I am a truly second class citizen: an adjunct community college professor of history. I am currently teaching seven classes at four schools, and like you, I teach exclusively survey courses, mostly American History. There are times where I dream of being some renowned scholar at a major university, but when I come back to reality, I realize that what I am doing now is much more productive. Teaching upper division and graduate courses would possibly be more fun and interesting at times. If nothing else, it would provide more variety. But teaching those courses would be like preaching to the choir. I would rather promote basic historical literacy among the general population and possibly inspire an occasional student who never liked history before to pursue our field in more depth. Publishing stuff in historical journals may impress your colleagues, but I doubt that it has much impact on the world.

Comment on “Mommy, is Thanksgiving a fraud?” by raspberry aunt

raspberry aunt — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:50:08 +0000

I was absolutely appalled the first time I went to one of my nephew’s preschool Thanksgiving programs. It wasn’t even the presentation of the historic event itself that bothered me — it was that half the kids were dressed up in really horrible Indian costumes and clearly only thought of Indians as a kind of exotic (and monolithic, fixed in time, etc.) category of fantastic creature from long ago. And they were clearly being TAUGHT that by adults who ought to know better. So any chance you have to teach the teachers in ways that will have domino effects on future generations is a chance to be taken. I don’t think you even need to focus on the bigger picture of colonialism, genocide, whether Thanksgiving is a good thing to celebrate, etc to make a difference. Just thinking about the people back then as real people more or less like them — from two different groups who had different ways of doing things, and sometimes appreciated learning each others’ ways, but sometimes felt scared, or got into conflict or had things go wrong for them because of those differences — would be a step forward.

Comment on WP Political Blogger’s Alliance Page by A Tale of Two Cities « Head Muscle

A Tale of Two Cities « Head Muscle — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:40:19 +0000

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Comment on A Homecoming by imfunny2

imfunny2 — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:41:04 +0000

This has got to be the most beautiful piece I’ve read in awhile.

Thank you.

Comment on A Homecoming by Rebecca

Rebecca — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:50:28 +0000

Oh my God! I can’t stop weeping right now. It’s so hard to type with tears of that kind of happiness coming out of my eyes. I am so happy for both of them. Thanks for sharing this story. It was well-written. Tell her when you see her that I am profoundly moved. And give my best to our fellow friend, the soldier and his wonderful wife.

Comment on WP Political Blogger’s Alliance Page by The Face of Terror « Head Muscle

The Face of Terror « Head Muscle — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:45:06 +0000

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Comment on WP Political Blogger’s Alliance Page by Remind Me Again Why America “Sucks” « Head Muscle

Remind Me Again Why America “Sucks” « Head Muscle — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:21:07 +0000

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