"Gingrich said this at an informal dinner with some young White House staff and reporters, of which I was one. It was a while ago. We did things like that then, to try to understand each other's lives and responsibilities. He said, "The test of any program or project should be: If you weren't already doing it, would you start?""
"Yes, I know the origin story of the first Thanksgiving in 1621 is problematic. That symbol of gratitude and peaceful coexistence with the English colonists ended in grief for the Wampanoag people, without whom the colonists would not have survived. The Wampanoag soon lost their land and independence. In more recent times, the way the day has become associated with too much too much food, too much shopping, too many stores open too early is also a bummer."
An informal remark proposed testing any program by asking whether one would start it if not already doing it. The origin of the 1621 Thanksgiving involved cooperation that later gave way to grief, land loss, and loss of independence for the Wampanoag people. Modern Thanksgiving often includes excess food, rampant shopping, and early store openings. Despite historical and commercial problems, a dedicated day for gratitude and being together offers value for long-standing residents and newcomers alike. A cranberry relish associated with Susan Stamberg has been prepared annually since 1971, illustrating enduring personal holiday traditions.
Read at www.npr.org
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]