Free Speech Forum
Prompt: Why is the right of free speech important in our democracy, and how does your piece show/prove this? This project was a way for us to express our view on the importance of free speech by presenting a piece of free speech which we were passionate about. Our piece had to demonstrate the importance that freedom of expression plays in our democracy. First, we gave a mini presentation to the class which displayed our free speech piece and answered the prompt. Then we wrote and submitted a paper of six hundred or more words that answered the prompt in depth. |
Thanksgiving: Originated from Lies?
In the fall of 1970, a group of Native Americans living in Massachusetts protested the celebration of Thanksgiving for the fallacy that the holiday was built on. They now celebrate, on the fourth Thursday of November, not Thanksgiving but a National Day of Mourning for the millions of indigenous people who died after the arrival of the Europeans. The purpose of their protest was to expose the lie that the pilgrims and natives feasted under friendly circumstances and speak the truth about the events following the settlement of European conquerors.
Because this is a day celebrated by millions, creating a holiday that directly opposes it will cause controversy. The original celebration of Thanksgiving was performed by the Europeans before they came to the Americas mainly for religious purposes when they were thankful for good fortune and would give thanks to their Christian god. It was the suppression of the truth that drove these people in Massachusetts to protest and celebrate a holiday directly opposing-and on the same day as-Thanksgiving. This is an important example of free speech because an entire race of people who may be offended by something that is celebrated by hundreds of millions of people should have the right to publicly disagree with it. The right to openly disagree with something as widely celebrated as Thanksgiving is vital in a democracy.
Free speech is an important component of a democracy because it allows for every single individual and all of their opinions, no matter how absurd or insignificant or controversial, to be heard. Without free speech, a democracy could not exist. With free speech we are entitled to publicize our beliefs freely and know that it is okay to do so. The National Day of Mourning not only permits those in opposition of Thanksgiving to express their beliefs but also gives every other person the right to hear the opposition. Free speech is the gateway to hearing rights, which only furthers the importance of its role in a democracy.
My visual piece ties into the importance of free speech in a democracy because it tells about the background of the National Day of Mourning: a protest which directly opposes the celebration of a national holiday. They were not protesting the story of the First Thanksgiving but were protesting because Thanksgiving served as a reminder of the millions of Native Americans who died as a result of the Europeans settling in America. Embedded in Cole’s Hill, the plaque is publicly displayed for anyone to see. The plaque itself is an example of free speech that is meant for the public eye.
Of course, Thanksgiving is a day that millions of Americans would say they celebrate to be with family and be grateful for what they have. This is not what the protesters in Massachusetts were against. To Native Americans, there was not just one day out of the year reserved for being thankful; they gave thanks all year-long. The protesters in 1970 were opposing Thanksgiving because of the belief it was built on: that the Native American and colonial relationship was good and friendly.
I am sure that most Americans will not say that this is true history, but I am also sure that not all of them will enjoy hearing about the mass genocide of Native Americans during the colonial era. If this is what Thanksgiving meant to the protesters in Plymouth, then creating their own national holiday opposing it is entirely their right to free speech; especially when it is built on true historic events.
The very essence of free speech is to speak openly about controversial subjects and not suffer dire consequences. The right to speak freely is the foundation of a democracy; without it, a democracy would collapse. The protest group in 1970 did not believe in the celebration of Thanksgiving, knowing about the history of the treatment of Native Americans when the Europeans settled. By creating their own national holiday, The National Day of Mourning, they used their free speech rights to oppose something that most Americans celebrate. Could we really call this a democracy if those people were prohibited from celebrating a day directly opposing Thanksgiving?