🚀 go-pugleaf

 I had very mixed feelings when I read this announcement. There was not one 
mention of the First People in the "celebration" activities, save for the 
last paragraph. 

I am of mixed heritage (Chippewa and European ancestery), so these types 
of ceremonies always give me pause. I would hope that in addition to 
celebrating the landing of the Mayflower, participants will think long 
and hard about the thousands upon thousands of Native Americans that were 
killed, persecuted and displaced by the Europeans. I hope that you would 
also celebrate the contributions to the USA that Native Americans have made. 

I love the USA, but to ignore this shameful part of our history and the 
continuing struggles of Native people diminishes us all.

I hesitated to post for fear of "politically correct" flames. Believe me, 
this is not PC on my part. Many of my ancestors paid dearly. Thank you, 
Wolfgang, for your words.

This is not a flame. I feel it's important to remember all people, not 
just the Pilgrims.

Diane Alexander
alexandd@gvsu.edu


On 28 Apr 1995, Wolfgang Pomrehm wrote:

> Unfortunately, my English isn't good enough for to formulate an appropriate
> answer to this cynical stuff (There came some other words in my mind but I
> try to keep beeing kind.)
> 
> Well, you want to celebrate this band of invaders. Do it, but stop talking
> about democracy when you talk about people who had no respect to the
> traditions and laws of their hosts who saved their lifes in the first
> winters. Do you know that the Pilgrim Fathers where helped with food in the
> first years by the same "savages" which later where massacred by them. This
> is the way christians use to say thank you!!
> 
> I strongly advise you and others to look for Howard Zinn's "A Peoples
> History of the United States of America" in your libary.
> 
> Wolfgang Pomrehn
> 
> -- 
> Wolfgang Pomrehn, Hasseer Str. 12, 24113 Kiel
> e-Mail: kleber@toppoint.de
> 
>