maybe if the teachers start telling the truth then the rest of the government will follow suit starting with our capitol building in olympia. just inside the front doors of the capitol building is a statue of marcus whitman, they tell a story in the tour of this man that makes him sound like a saint and you go away thinking a bunch of blood thirsty indians killed him, maybe its time they start telling the truth about what he did and what led up to his death.

i have allways thought about the hiprocracy of this country when they critisize other countries for thier human rights abuses when the native people of this country are still waiting for the government to honor thier treaties.

about 45 yrs ago a white man killed my mother who was indian and he was never punished, the only answer i have ever gotten was a tribal judge several years back told me unfortunatly killing an indian back in those days wasnt that big of a deal.

its about time the truth gets told then maybe the healing can finally begin.

More of the same political correctness gone WAY overboard. The Port of Seattle should celebrate Christmas and the Seattle school district should leave Thanksgiving alone! Sheesh what a LEFT-WING town! BTW, I do support the protesters in Olympia.

I love ‘giving thanks’ and eating pumpkin pie as much as the next person, but I also think the Seattle school district did a great thing by demonstrating the values of caring and respect to our city’s kids, by drawing attention to what Thanksgiving means to their peers. Thanksgiving kicked-off what became a Holocaust of the only non-immigrants in this country. Let's show them some respect, as the school district did.

pc running amuck again...geezzzzz. whats new. this is so ludicrous its almost funny. Thanksgiving is a time all americans should be grateful for. we have alot to be grateful for after all. i dont see anybody breaking their necks to escape our "harsh' way of living. I hope the teachers support Thanksgiving as they always have. Giving thanks for all this country is and what it stands for. foremost Thank our service personel who are fighting over there so we arent fighting radicals over here. I thank our president for having the courage to do the right thing.
i sympathize with all native americans and i do believe there were treated wrongly. I think this country has bent over backwards to make amends with reservations, whaling permits, casinoes, and alot of things white people are not afforded. the injustice will never make up for what they lost but the fact is there not in tents freezin on high plains anymore are they.
one last thing as if you cant tell from what i wrote above, I DO NOT SUPPORT people who infringe on our war effort. they really need to open there shut eyes and see whats happening in this world of ours.

Interesting on how every post turns into a anti war / pro war discussion here.

Well some of the ignorant people talking again thru their butts. Native americans are not treated fairly... We have treaties that were signed by our govt, but are they honored?? Well lets take one for example: The whaling of the Makah people?? It Is their RIGHT to whale, but some people that dont agree have to push the news media into the loop and show all the negative about this. Well It is your right to celebrate Thanksgiving and it is our right to not.......without being put down for our opinions and rights.. Come on people stop and think... is this a one minded statement?? I guess what I am saying open your minds and accept what ever and whoever wants to celebrate or not.... For the news media, you sure got a rise out of some closed mnded people on this topic.... Yes we natives have been screwed by the govt... We are just trying to do right to our ancestor...OK By the way Happy Thanksgiving to you that celebrate it... Gosh gfive it up...

Thanksgiving is a harvest festival. Similar celebrations have been seen worldwide, across cultures and throughout history. At its core, it isn't a religious holiday or political observance. Even the most stereotypical image of Thanksgiving shows people of different beliefs coming together in neighborliness and fellowship. It seems incredibly silly to try and use that, of all things, to be petty and divisive.

No "Happy Thanksgiving" in the Classroom? - As with so many things these days - "America has gone from common sense to nonsense"

Come on folks, this is nuts. I am Blackfeet Indian and our family has no problem with the Traditional use of the phrase "Happy Thanksgiving". Yes, there are some folks who might find it offensive, but there are folks who find "Happy Birthday? offensive. I say to them..."Get Over It!" So Happy Thanksgiving and and Merry Christmas to you all. If you wish to have a lousy Thanksgiving and an Unhappy Happy Holiday Season thats your problem.

If Thanksgiving is a sad day for tribal groups, they should close the Casino on that day. Our holidays are some of the bigger $$$$$$ days for them.

Brad

More nonsense out of the public education system. Instead of celebrating AMERICAN culture, we continue to rip the culture apart by putting a negative cast on our holidays (Christmas, Easter, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving).

Everyone has learned that our country has some blemishes in the past. EVERYONE knows that and it is time to stop apologizing for who we are. We have become the most generous nation on earth and yes, equal opportunity is finally here despite the miserable dividers who continue to bash the country.

Parents should tell the school district where to go.

Muslims cabdrivers who won't pick up customers with wine, the Duke community flailing a group of innocent lacrosse players, the forced renaming of Interstate Blvd, and now, the negative spin on Thanksgiving. These are supposed to help increase racial sensitivity?

Thanksgiving was set aside as a national holiday in celebration of our origin involving a good relationship between all people including the Indians.
History demonstrates issues of betrayal to all people, a completely separate issue.

With all the illegal's in the U.S. Why are we trying to deport an American citizen. The child needs to stay in the U.S. and the courts need to spend the time and resourses on the others that are not citizens and are robbing, killing and causing mayhem. Get the priorities right.

This has gone way too far. We can't celebrate Christmas, Easter, July 4 and now Thanksgiving, etc. because it might hurt someones feelings. If we have to live in America with those who don't share our beliefs they have two choices - leave our "once free" country or keep their mouths shut. It is not the children who are bringing this up, its their parents who have far too much time on their hands.

When are the white people of this country going to stop being held hostage for all the sins of the past ???

We need to teach RESPECT in the homes and in the schools,not worry about skin color or religious beliefs.

The last time I checked "feathers" were used at thanksgiving time for craft projects and the only sacred feather is an eagle feather and it is illegel to have any in your possession.

All colors, black, white, yellow, and brown need to respect their heritage and respect the heritage of others and instead of spending their time fighting, protesting and jamming up the courts. Instead we should be teaching reading, writting, arithmatic and RESPECT of self and others.

I don't think there's anything wrong with "reminding" the teachers to be a little more sensitive towards native students, who's families may hold resentment towards America for actions of the past.

However, the things everyone should keep in mind:

Making people victims does not help them get through their issues. My dad is 1/2 native and I witnessed the underlying issue throughout his life. You have to move forward, not backward, and at many times, he has moved backward because he let this issue hold him back. Rise above it and be pround of your ancestry, but don't let it prevent you from success in life.

And remember, something like 30-35% of Americans have native blood running in their veins. Just because someone doesn't look exactly like you, doesn't mean that they aren't like you inside.

I'm glad to have just learned the Native American perspective on Thanksgiving. That perspective should be taught in schools in addition to the European American story.
However, this holiday has become more about gratitude, family and community. I'd like to think that is something that we European Americans can share with Native Americans and all Americans.

The first Thanksgiving was a time of celebration, which included both the new settlers and the natives. All celebrated the finding of new friends, the rememberance of families left behind and the hope for a fruitful future. In todays society we are expected to be or have pc in everything we do. I for one am very tired of "paying" for something that happened 500 years ago. We are Americans - this does not include descriptive words before American. The Turkey was not a sacred bird of the natives - it was food. I for one appreciate that food and intend to enjoy a very large helping of Turkey and give thanks to my ancestors and family for all they have given so that I might have that Turkey!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ONE AND ALL !!!!!

Mahatma Ghandi once said, "A man is the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes." If you focus on broken promises, misery, and mistreatment you are going to be a defeated person.

I have lived on three different reservations in my life. I went to school on a reservation. I've never heard of viewing Thanksgiving in such a depressing light. The reservations I've lived on were heavily dependent on agriculture. Thanksgiving was a celebration of the harvest. There were other days of mourning signifying horrible things that have happened in the past but Thanksgiving was not one of them.

What happened to freedom of speech and freedom of religion? Let everybody think what they want and belive. It should'nt be nobody's business but there owns'

Yes, Native American Indians loved popcorn many years before Western Civilization arrived. And were gracious enough to overcome the differences with these new strange people with great arrogant un-political un-correct attitude, and teach them how to harvest a crop. Giving help to the newbies was and still is a time to celebrate together. And yes, our Great Native Forefathers were ignorant of the law saying that people could own the land. So, they celebrated, put an X on a piece of paper, and the white man kept the land they would have starved upon without the Indian handout.

And yes, this arrogant story repeats itself today again in Iraq, for those who do not care to know history. Still today, most Americans do not know that there were zero Roman Catholic Christians in Iraq before -- the Christians they talk about were all Orthodox Christians (and especially NOT any Protestants.)

This is long overdue....and how do you think Native Americans feel about Columbus Day? As a member of a minority I know full well what it means to be marginalized and patronized. Just because the majority of Americans (as of now) are of one major religious sensibility (which they seem to confuse with patriotism) does not abrogate the interests and rights of the minorities. Many groups around the world need to learn this also.

On Columbus Day we celebrate those who ever got lost in life and didn't know where they were, but I kinda have to agree with Judy .. that day could be named many things depending on what side of the story you are.

What is Thanks Giving about? It is about us Native Americans Sharing our trust with The white people. We were decived yes but we still share that tradition with our familys in hopes that it will come true some day.
You have already takin GOD out of the pledge of allegiance. Now you are tryin to take our other beliefs away from our childern. What is wrong with you people?

Well, let's just everyone calm down. I have read all of the posts that have come before this one, and the blatent racism in some of these postings is at best, disheartening. As a decendent of the very tribe that saved the very lives of the very ancestors of some of you, it is time to educate yourself. Begin by re-learning exactly what took place that first winter around Plymouth Rock, when those Native Americans "took pity on the White Faces." Now give "thanks" that they did. Because if they did not, their would not be an "America." Then go to Barns & Noble an order a book called "King Phillips War." Now read it. Betrayal is not the half of it,...try Genocide. The negitive commentary of some of these postings is still part of that, "he who has the guns, writes the history" mentality. I whole-heartedly commend the Seattle School District for expanding the collective conciousness of the students in their District. That is why they call it "higher learning." Some of us are more American than others, we were just here first.

I am half Blackfoot and I think this is absolutely ridiculous! My family, on both sides, has always celebrated Thanksgiving and looked at it as a time of gathering, loving thy neighbor, giving thanks for the food on our plates, the clothes on our backs and love in our hearts. It is a time to be grateful not hateful.
It seems that a few scrooges are trying to take away the freedoms of celebration that are now a tradition to MANY in this country. Times have changed from the days when our ancestors treaties were made and broken; lives and land were taken. It is time to move on and appreciate what we have in front of us. There is nothing that can be done to change the past.
If the school districts want to better educate our children about what really happened that is fine. History is there to teach us to learn from past mistakes. I feel strongly, however, that it should not go hand in hand with fun classroom lessons or festivities. You can choose to celebrate or not but please think of our children. It is a positive thing to teach them (in the classroom and at home) to appreciate things you are given no matter how big or small. Taking this away from them will effect how they are when they grow up and I, for one, would like caring children that can understand the joy that comes from simple things.

I was always taught that the United States was a "democracy" as in "majority ruled". Our country needs to come up with a new "(term)" that means "ruled by the minority". The United States does have a "culture" also, but because of politicial correctness being so extreme, any individual seems to be able to put a STOP to whatever he/she disagrees with. "In God we Trust" is being phased out. "Christmas Break" has been frozen out and has become Winter Holiday/Vacation. "Easter Vacation" has become Spring Break. Now "Happy Thanksgiving" is on the chopping block (pun intended). What United States cultural holiday will be the next target of a person or minority???

We have become so wrapped up in ourselves that we have lost all joy in life. Maybe we should all stop celebrating holidays altogether, because I'm sure someone could even have a negative opinion about the 4th of July or Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Each and every holiday are created for their own purposes and if you don't agree with those, then don't participate in it. But don't ruin our joy. You don't see Christians having a fit because someone put up a Menorah and not a Nativity Scene, only the opposite. Diversity is recognizing all beliefs and all people, but it doesn't mean that people have to be forced to change their holiday to cater to a few people who are offended. I'm not offended when a group celebrates their own holiday or event and I'm not included. Get over yourselves, all of you who think diversity means giving special treatment and more rights to minorities. Equal is equal. Stop ruining it for all of us who have no control over the past.

By the way, if this has been such an issue why is it just now, hundreds of years later, that someone is raising a stink?

As a native Hawaiian, I remember being in grade school each year having to write an essay on "Why we are proud of our Pilgrim forefathers." I honestly think there were no Hawaiians on those boats. And if you want to yak about broken treaties, Hawaii was taken at gun and bayonet point and our Queen was placed under house arrest. Now, don't get me wrong, as I am a Viet-nam vet and proud to be an American, and think this PC bovine fecal matter is taken too far, but ya gotta look at where it's at, Seattle, that bastion of bovine fecal matter. I'm an American and damm proud of it. Oh and by the way, Happy Thanksgiving.

The one thing I find unbeleavable is the fact that YOU NWCN, Find it to your best interest and the best news is not to give the truth as you see it from you own blog. You do not care for the truth, but what sells. PC???? do you care???? if you do put all the blogs on air, dont choose only those that sell. NO ONE is happy with this , Read them. What is it 20 to 1 and you make people beleave that we all are aginst T-Day. Im an American Indian and proud to have American and part of who i am. IF YOU FEEL t-day should be abandon say it dont put works in my mouth.

ITS BEEN HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM THE DAY ONE,WHY CHANGE IT FOR A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO DO NOT AGREE WITH OUR HERITIAGE ITS TIME TO SAY NO. THANK YOU

If those damn Indians were really mourning, then they would have said something all long ass time ago. Thanksgiving is an american tradition aand i'll be damned if any stupid ass liberal takes thanksgiving out of the classroom!

I am proud to be one of thoe "damn Indians" as Richard so put it & will not lower myself to the level of name calling but raise my heart to forgiveness, if you want it or not. I & my family gather for Thanksgiving to celebrate a womens defeating breast cancer & the birth of a child, the journey home Auntie made to our Creator,all the things that opening your eyes & counting your blessings can bring. My Native ancestors held out a helping hand & the settlers graciously acknowldged there contribution. I'm sure the settler did not know of the terrors & ill fate the Government would have in store for them in the future & this story is not unique to America as a counrty alone. Betrayl in world wide. We celebrate the natives who fell in the battles to save there families. We celerate the survivors. If you ever have an oppertunity to have a dinner with a Native family, do it, we may have a small home but we have a large table. You'll experience a new type of gratitude when you are brought into the hearts of a Native American Family. So I guess my opinion on this matter is that I hope that the schools teach tolerance , respect for yourself & others & keep your minds opened, you might miss a beautiful life enhancing lesson if you remain ignorant & unforgiving.

Thanksgiving is a harvest celebration and the first one was a get together of English settlers and local Indians during a time of peace. The current holiday is a continuing celebration of that event and to reflect on things to be thankful for.

If the Libs in Seattle look hard enough they can find something to cry about just about everywhere. It is their nature to complain and find fault with everything in this country. We can never be politically correct enough for them, can never pay enough taxes, we can never spend enough taxpayer money on their pet projects, and if you are a white hetrosexual male everything bad that has happened in the last 5000 years is your fault and you should spend your whole life apologizing to them.

Chase had a beautiful point. Also, I do agree with teaching a "complete" history. I was fortunate enough to get a complete grasp of history into my middle school and high school years, when I was old enough to process what it all meant. In elementary school, I was also fortunate to be able to celebrate tradition, acceptance, and gratitude for family and friendship, which is what the Thanksgiving holiday is all about. Because of this, I was raised to be greatful for my friends and their different heritages and backgrounds, as well as be greatful for my own. I fear that taking these moments away from our children today could cause resentment and hostility - and turn away from the level of acceptance that my generation has been blessed with. We have a long way to go - as it is obvious by some of the posts above, however if we continue to pick apart the positivity of our traditions, we will only move backward, not forward.

I am getting sick and tired of these crybabies that think they are so offended by holidays because of a time in history that they may represent. Too bad! When Martin Luther King Day came about, we did not hear anybody complaining then. If the white population said anything, they were labelled as racists.
They way I see Thanksgiving is both the Indians and the Quakers got together and shared dinner with one another. There was no killing on that day between the both. They shared some peace with one another. What is this Damned Country coming too!!!!!

You know what cracks me up the most? The "Indian mourning" issue. Wayyyy back when, on that faithful day, the natives who first saw the 2 boats said, "hey, it's only two boats and how long can they stay?" And BA-DA-BING, here we all are. Mourning??? Without the white eyes, no casinos to get back at us. Without the white eyes, all this land would still be mothers and there would be no Hillary Clinton...Hey wait a minute maybe I got sumthin here....no H.C. damm, did we miss an opportunity or what. GOB BLESS AMERICA. HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING YA'ALL

well happy thanks giving to all those indian kids in alaska who were sexually abused by the preists over decades. its ironic this whole debate over what thanks giving means to indians and now thanks giving week this...

Large settlement reached in priest sexual abuse cases
An Oregon-based religious order has agreed to pay $50 million to dozens of Alaska Natives who were victims of sexual abuse by Jesuit priests.

so what has changed over the last 500 years? i am half indian and half white, i just dont see what the indians have to be grateful for.

You know:

New Years day might be offensive to those that believe in a different calendar

how about we list all of those complex problems once and for all so that this discussion can be wrapped up?

Hey Samuel - actually there was and still is complaining about MLK Day being a National Holiday. And while I truely beilieve that this whole PC thing has gone way overboard, those of you with the argument that it was so long ago.....that's like trying to make the argument that my great grand father may have killed your great grand father(and never let you forget it, by the way) but it was such a long time ago, get over it. That is just an ignorant response.

Every one of us could look back into history and generate something that would make us hate. We have had wars between almost every race and nationality. Hate is like acid it eats on the container it lives in. We need to dwell on the positives not the negatives and Thanksgiving is dwelling on the positives. Thanksgiving is one of the times when differences are set aside and everyone gives thanks.

This has already gone national. Foxnews has it up on the top of their homepage. Once again, Seattle is the laughingstock of the country.

I don't see the problem. If some Native Americans and others want to mourn, that should be ok; they should definitely be permitted to mourn. If other people want to celebrate by giving thanks, that should be ok, too. Am I missing something? Oh, yes, the post about priests sexually abusing native children. That was terrible, abhorrent. They've done it to white kids, too. Equally abhorrent. So some of us may prefer to brood upon it and others to observe Thanksgiving. The white, so-called civilized human has perpetrated horrendous acts against other peoples. So have others. Any shame and emotional pain we feel because of it cannot undo these atrocities. Of course, we could designate each day of each year to commemorate every lousy, rotten thing ever done by anyone to any person of any race, and to any creature of any species - let the games begin.

Yes, Ashlea, you are missing something. This isn't about whether Indians want to celebrate Thanksgiving. Frankly, I don't think anyone cares if they do or don't. The issue is some pinhead employee of the Seattle School system sending out a letter denigrating the holiday. While being "sensitive" to the minority, the pinhead viciously launched an unprovoked attack on a cherished tradition of the majority.

That's what you missed.

The woman should be fired and never allowed to work in education again. However, knowing Seattle like I do (used to live there for 5 years until I was able to get back home to the South where we don't put up with this kind of PC crap), she'll probably get a promotion.

Well I knew it had to happen.A year ago a newscaster said Happy Thanksgiving and we want everyone to know Thanksgiving is the only non-political holiday that is being celebrated.Someone latched onto that and now it has become political, I give up.Lets ban all holidays and save our money for our families.

Geez! Can't we celebrate one single holiday in this country without somebody raising a stink over it? This is getting ridiculous. If you don't want to celebrate Thanksgiving, or any other holiday for that matter, then don't celebrate them, and leave the rest of us who do alone.

By the way, I am part Cherokee (I have a relative from earlier in the family line on my mother's side that was full blooded Cherokee).

So Be It!

THE LAW IS THE LAW

So if the US government determines that it is against the law for the words 'under God' to be on our money, then, so be it.

And if that same government decides that the 'Ten Commandments' are not to be used in or on a government installation, then, so be it.

I say, 'so be it,' because I would like to be a law abiding US citizen

I say, 'so be it,' because I would like to think that smarter people than I are in positions to make good decisions.

I would like to think that those people have the American public's best interests at heart. BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE I'D LIKE?

Since we can't pray to God, can't Trust in God and cannot post His Commandments in Government buildings, I don't believe the Government and its employees should participate in the Easter and Christmas celebrations which honor the God that our government is eliminating from many facets of American life.

I'd like my mail delivered on Christmas, Good Friday, Thanksgiving & Easter.

After all, it's just another day.

I'd like the ' US Supreme Court to be in session on Christmas, Good Friday, Thanksgiving & Easter as well as Sundays.' After all, it's just another day.

I'd like the Senate and the House of Representatives to not have to worry about getting home for the 'Christmas Break' After all it's just another day.

I'm thinking that a lot of my taxpayer dollars could be saved, if all government offices & services would work on Christmas, Good Friday & Easter. It shouldn't cost any overtime since those would be just like any other day of the week to a government that is trying to be 'politically correct.'

In fact....

I think that our government should work on Sundays (initially set aside for worshipping God...) because, after all, our government says that it should be just another day....

That's the dumbest thing I have EVER heard! BIG DEAL! THANKSGIVING is here to stay....so get over it...and let's get rid of every single communist pushing political correctness in this country....it's getting real old. FREE SPEECH REMEMBER???????

MLK,Jr. once said that switching the ladder of power upside down does no one any good. All the Euro-Caucasian cultural bashing does is insult the majority's heritage, which is what the minority liberals are complaining about for themselves. Stop being hypocrites! Let's be united! I agree that the American government (over a hundred years ago) was completely unethical with the Indians, but that does not mean there was no one who treated them fairly. Look up William Penn, Roger Williams, etc. and you will see people who respected and cared about the First Nation tribes as human beings. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!