Thanksgiving is an iconic holiday in America. It symbolizes the pilgrims from Europe coming together with the native Americans and giving thanks for their lives in the New World. The first image depicts the first ever thanksgiving with the pilgrims and natives coming together peacefully. This image affirms the connection between America and its ideals of Thanksgiving being a time of peace and appreciation, no matter what you believe or what language you speak.
However, the second image challenges the ideals of thanksgiving. The pilgrims today, or 'Americans', are not forced to live in poverty stricken reservations and are free to practice their own religions and beliefs. They have not faced centuries of prejudice and violence simply because of their way of life. The maltreatment and pure ignorance displayed towards the natives by the pilgrims over the centuries questions the ideals of Thanksgiving as the meaning of the holiday seems to have been forgotten. It seems that the natives part in the creation of Thanksgiving has been forgotten.
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