The story below tells an alternate history of the first thanksgiving, one I believe is more meaningful and unfortunately not likely to be passed along in an era when the politically correct narrative rules. The words below are from Michael Quinn Sullivan‘s recent newsletter.
| QUOTING… “Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people.” — Ronald Reagan |
As we gather with family and friends this week to celebrate Thanksgiving, it’s a good time to reflect on what our ancestors were truly thankful for, on that very first thanksgiving.
Interestingly, the real story of Thanksgiving isn’t found in the syrupy-sweet stories of our youth. Instead, it’s that our earliest settlers decided to reject socialism’s central planning and embrace liberty. It’s a decision we must similarly make every day.
We tend to forget that the pilgrims weren’t city slickers, ill-prepared for wilderness life; nor were they misguided about the challenges facing them in the New World.
Sadly, the travails and trials of those pilgrims weren’t merely the result of recklessness, ignorance or chance. No, the problems the pilgrims faced, and overcame, were of their very own making through a misguided ideology.
William Bradford, governor of Plymouth Colony, explains clearly in his own hand what happened in his “History of the Plymouth Settlement.” They imposed on themselves what he called “communal service” — everything, the land, the work, the crops — was held communally. Everyone was expected to work hard and receive only what they truly needed. Sound familiar?
Bradford noted: “Community of property was found to breed much confusion and discontent.” No one had an incentive to work, so no one produced, and everyone was miserable.
After three years, the colony abandoned its “communal” life lest they die-off completely. Bradford wrote that colony leaders divided the land among the families and “allowed each man to plant corn for his own household, and to trust to themselves for that.”
As a result, “It made all hands very industrious, so that much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any means the Governor or any other could devise, and saved him a great deal of trouble, and gave far better satisfaction.”
The very first days of the American experience demonstrated what world history has shown repeatedly: socialism fails, and fails miserably. Liberty, not government planning, produces bounty.
As we gather with family and friends this Thanksgiving, let us remember that just as in the 17th Century, individual liberty is a necessary and integral component for general prosperity. As Ronald Reagan said, we have to fight for freedom and defend it every day!
