Friday, November 26, 2010

Party-Pooping Protesters

They get my applause.

"Telling the other side of the story; Native Americans gather in Plymouth to protest" by Erin Ailworth, Globe Staff / November 26, 2010

The National Day of Mourning, an annual protest by Native Americans of the recounting of the Thanksgiving holiday....   

Yeah, it sort of began the 7-10 million Holocaust spread over decades, didn't it?

Drew Shadrawy, who recently moved to Waltham from Plymouth, said he has participated in the National Day of Mourning for the last three years: “I’m always shocked how small the turnout is . . . when you think about all the families right now stuffing their faces, watching football, and consuming, consuming, consuming.’’

***********

Nina Kunimoto, a world history teacher at a high school, and 16-year-old Paola Gaona — who attended the event separately — both said they were attending the National Day of Mourning for the first time in order to widen their perspectives.

“It’s just about being here in solidarity and understanding that there are different voices in history,’’ said Kunimoto, who planned to take what she learned back to her students....  

Finding out there were others than my state-sanctioned school versions came as quite an eye-opening shock. I've never recovered, for once you see through the looking-glass lies the world never appears the same again.

Gaona said she usually spends the holiday at her school’s football game and then later, with family. Now, she added, she thinks she might be a regular attendee of the National Day of Mourning.

“This is better,’’ she said, “than the school’s football game.’’

--moret--"  

Not according to the Globe and its devotion of space and ink:
And they even feature a game out my way.

"Fans glad Agawam tradition lives on; Holiday football played despite hazing controversy" by Padraig Shea, Globe Correspondent / November 26, 2010

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Theirs was the game that went on.

Played against the backdrop of a locker room hazing incident that threatened to suspend the annual contest, players, coaches, and fans applauded the decision yesterday to let the 87th Thanksgiving showdown between the Agawam and West Springfield high school football teams go on.

The game, they said, was about more than winning or losing. It was about right and wrong, honor and pride....

I didn't know playing football was like enlisting in the Marines (which is probably where a lot of these kids will wind up).

Agawam head coach Mike Peterson: “Football is life for some of these guys.’’  

(Blog editor sadly sighs)

*************

“If you listen to what people are saying about us on Facebook and on [high school sports message board] Masslive.com, the only things that happen in Agawam are heroin and hazing,’’ said Frank Sacco, Agawam’s football captain and quarterback in 2009. “I played with these kids, and they don’t deserve this. It’s embarrassing.’’  

Well, yeah, we all know that! 

Also see: State Stickup in Agawam

Globe In the Valley: Agawam Soldiers On

Well, I guess not all.

Agawam kept the game competitive despite being undermanned and understaffed....

West Springfield won easily, 20-0, before the home crowd, but the threat of Thanksgiving without the game forced players and fans to appreciate the game itself.

Joe Maratea, a West Springfield senior, whose fourth quarter touchdown iced the game, said he was grateful for the opportunity to play.

“We played, we won, and the tradition went on,’’ the running back said. “Thank God.’’  

HE must have given the points.

--more--"  

Also see: Giving Thanks For Football
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