HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I have lots to be thankful for. Before I write my (partial) list, let's talk about the history of this holiday. Don't worry: I'm not trying to sour anyone's celebration. I love Thanksgiving... but it's silly to pretend like the reality of American history bears any resemblance to this imagined, wonderful, harmonious relationship between the settlers and the Native Americans that forms the historical basis for our modern understanding of Thanksgiving. That's a buncha crap.

I've heard people say that it's not about Native Americans, it's not about genocide. It's about the TURKEY. It's about coming together with the people you love and showing your gratitude.

This may be true for some people... people whose ancestors were not pillaged and raped and murdered... people whose heritage of suffering and struggle has not been whitewashed to the point of triviality by a national holiday. It's important to talk about this, to think about this, even as we are stuffing our faces with delicious food and thanking the heavens or each other or whatever.

(And even Thanksgiving dinner is not about the turkey, if you ask me. It's all about the gravy. Really, it's all about the delicious side-dishes, that's what makes Thanksgiving dinner so awesome. I don't eat turkey but I'm still BEYOND excited about dinner tonight.)

Just for fun, let's take a look at what "President" Bush said about Thanksgiving:

"In the four centuries since the founders of Berkeley first knelt on these grounds, our nation has changed in many ways. Our people have prospered, our nation has grown, our Thanksgiving traditions have evolved -- after all, they didn't have football back then. Yet the source of all our blessings remains the same: We give thanks to the Author of Life who granted our forefathers safe passage to this land, who gives every man, woman, and child on the face of the Earth the gift of freedom, and who watches over our nation every day." - George W. Bush

Amazing, right? Well, I reject that idea completely. Those ain't my goddamn forefathers. Those "forefathers" sure as hell weren't interested in the "gift of freedom." I don't thank the rapists and the murderers who stole this land from its original citizens for the gift of freedom. But I am thankful for the gift of freedom -- thankful for the millions of brave people throughout history who fought and sometimes gave their lives for change and progress and equality.

I'm thankful to everyone who's devoted themselves to justice and freedom.

I'm thankful for the wiki.

I'm thankful for Trey and all of my classmates.

I'm thankful for my hands, my hair, my neck, my skull, my brain, my eyes, my nose, my lips, my ears, my chest, my shoulders, my arms, my fingers, my legs, my feet, my toes, my armpits, my voice, my throat, my ass, my genitals, my teeth, my tongue, and the rest of my body.

I'm thankful for my family.

I'm thankful for everyone I love and everyone who loves me.

I'm thankful for Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin and Radiohead and Stanley Kubrick.

I'm thankful for Woody Allen and Federico Fellini and Ingmar Bergman and Miles Davis and Paul Thomas Anderson and Toni Morrison and Debbie Harry and Diane Arbus and David Lynch and the Velvet Underground.

I'm thankful for Andy Warhol and Bob Dylan and Chris Ware and Alan Moore and Albert Einstein and Stevie Wonder and Terrence Mckenna and the the first time I ever heard Gershwin's Summertime played by Sidney Bechet on a CD I bought from Walgreens.

I'm thankful for blonde hair and black hair and red hair and curly, straight, frizzy hair and baldness.

I'm thankful for vegetables and pineapples and wine.

I'm thankful for KB.

I'm thankful for dancing.

I'm thankful for swimming.

I'm thankful for my home(s).

I'm thankful for human consciousness.

I'm also tired as hell and about to fall asleep in a big, comfortable bed.

I'm thankful for that bed.

Thanks. Good night!