Thanksgiving…not in my house

On this beautiful and very sunny Florida late-morning I road my bike to the nearest football field to do a sprint workout. I was amazed for the one-millionth time of the tranquility of the southern winds and the stillness that effortlessly seem to accompany them. The warmth of the late November breeze is a bonus for someone who is accustom to cold Chicago winters’ that often arrive too early and stay too late. Half way thru my paces a group of White-Americans invaded my tranquil environ and took over my space as if I were the “spook who sat by the door”. During my next sprint straight thru their newly formed football game I give them the benefit of the doubt…”maybe they did not see me?” I thought. The following sprints were full of some Chicago trash talk like “move!” and “yo!” along with a few long stares right off the West Side… They still don’t budge as they mumble a few words of discontent under their breaths’. I ran a few extra sprints more than I had planned hoping to force a “one against nine” confrontation but of this alpha-male there would be no takers’. Upon walking to my bike for the return ride home one of them approached with a chuckle and replied “happy Thanksgiving!” I very quickly measured the lack of authenticity of his remark and retorted “I don’t celebrate it…political reasons”. As I climbed slowly on my bike sweating uncontrollably from the extra sprints of my protest against my immediate land getting occupied, he cried out “ahhh… come-on…we are all Americans”. I replied…”nope…and how about the indigenous peoples and the genocide that was committed in the name of your Thanksgiving?” I love it when I get the last word. He threw his arms up in discuss as I rode away into the day reflecting on the feelings of the indigenous Crete, Seminole, Blackhawk and Sioux nations. They must have perceived the invading Europeans who would come to dominate them and attempt to take away their self-worth as “cockroaches”…a sheer and intolerable infestation. With each paddle of my bike I then reflected on the African would later be forced from their lands, placed in chains and marched across the seas for 310 years of the day and night shift with only Sunday afternoon off to listen to the slave-master teach them his religion. They, the Africans must have perceived their new house guest nothing short of monsters’. I further pondered over the unfounded justifications’ I hear from some quarters’, Muslim and non-Muslim, Black, White and Other about why they choose to celebrate Thanksgiving. For Muslims’ on this matter, The Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, “You will certainly follow the ways of those who came before you, span by span, cubit by cubit, until even if they were to enter a lizard’s hole, you would follow them.” The questioners’ then asked…“O Messenger of Allah, (do you mean) the Jews and Christians?” He, (Sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) replied “Who else?!” Why have they have chose unconsciousness or principles’? In the name of Malcolm X! While Thanksgiving, in all of its’ dressings’ is a simple expression of “White Nationalism”. This is a double standard. You cannot have both ways. Some Muslims’ argue against Nationalism as being forbidden in the context of Islam. I get that. But do they also get the “American Nationalism” that they so easily participate in without even questioning it? The so-called “Arab Spring” (having started among the Berbers’ of North Africa for those keeping score at home) are struggles in a Nationalist pretext. They are not Pan-Islamic movements but movements with stated boundaries. The struggle to gain back control and the right of self-determination among the beloved and oppressed Palestinians is a struggle of (you guessed it) Nationalism…and I will continue my support therein. The idea of the “Nation- State” is a failed European concept by the way. It does not work as a long-term schism and only should be used as a short-term solution. Though struggles for independence historically have used this as a tactic it cannot last as the ultimate goal. I close this small talk on the rejection of “American Nationalism” and the celebration of Thanksgiving (as somehow a legitimate practice) with the words of a member of the indigenous peoples… “Brings-Down-The Sun” in 1910 who said in protest…. “The white race has always cheated and deceived us. They have deprived us of our country. Now they are trying to take away our religion…