????隨著美國最重要的一個節日——感恩節即將到來，近來我一直在思考，特權給我帶來了哪些好處？身為一個白人，殖民主義，以及美洲土著遭受的壓迫和屠殺都給我帶來了好處。(殖民主義的其他方面同樣也給我帶來了好處，那些我們以后再談。)

????我在紐約州莫西干湖長大，那片土地曾經屬于莫西干人/阿爾貢金人(美洲土著國家)。如今在莫西干湖附近，人們時而還能從土里刨出箭頭，能夠證明在這片土地上曾經生活過那些勤勞的人們。

????小時候，我知道了種族屠殺和強迫美洲土著遷徙的那段歷史。那段歷史是我們學校課程的一部分。上大學時，我選過一門美洲土著歷史和文化的課程。

????我的學校位于紐約州安默斯特旁邊的一個小鎮。安默斯特的得名源于杰弗瑞?安默斯特男爵，這位英國將軍在18世紀中期曾主張對美洲印第安人實施細菌戰。這個地區的白人死于天花時，他慫恿士兵們將帶有天花病菌的毯子送給美洲土著人，結果導致很多土著人死于天花。

????我因為美洲土著人、特別是阿爾貢金人的大批死亡和被迫搬遷而獲得了好處。我從我生活的這片美麗的土地得到了好處。我從這片土地的“經濟發展”——農場，工廠，學校和住房得到了好處。我消費的產品，我使用的服務，我住的地方以及我接受教育的地方，我得到了所有這些好處。

????我是一名愛爾蘭天主教徒，因此我也能看到其他人因為我的人民被屠殺而獲得好處，就跟我因為美國的美洲土著人口被屠殺而獲得好處的情形如出一轍。我對我們的人犯下的罪行以及我跟他們沆瀣一氣深表遷移，我也為其他人失去的東西或者從未獲得的東西感到悲痛。我很感謝我擁有的生活以及有機會應對這些感受。我正在思考采取什么行動，比如了解美洲土著人以及美洲土著的歷史和文化。我希望能讓更多人知道感恩節不那么為人所知的這一面。

????我很幸運擁有來自不同種族、國家和社會階層的很多朋友，但盡管如此，我發現自己從未結交過一個美國土著人。哪怕是在我從小長大的地方曾經住著的阿爾貢金人/莫西干人，就我所知，同校沒有這樣的人。(當然，有些人可能隱藏了自己的族裔身份。)

????在美國，很多關于感恩節的故事都是美洲土著人如何幫助白人拓荒者渡過第一個嚴酷的冬天，為他們提供食物，教他們如何尋找和種植食物。我們忘了接下來白人拓荒者對美洲土著人實施的種族屠殺和壓迫。一些美洲土著人希望人們在感恩節期間不要忘記這段黑暗、但不可抹殺的歷史。因此，今年感恩節我在反思自己作為個人以及白人群體的一員與美洲土著人的關系，這些人們如今在自己的家園里已經變成了“少數民族”。（財富中文網）

????譯者：早稻米

????As we near Thanksgiving, one of the most important holidays in the US, I’ve been thinking about where I benefit from privilege. As a white person, I have benefited from colonialism and the oppression and genocide of Native Americans. (I benefit from other aspects of colonialism, but that’s something to explore later.)

????I grew up in MoheganLake, in New York state, on land that once belonged to Mohegan/ Algonquin peoples (Native American nations). In the area around MoheganLake people digging the earth would sometimes find arrowheads - proof of the indigenous people who used to be there.

????In my youth I learned about the genocide and forced removal of Native Americans. That history was part of our school curriculum. I took a course on Native American history and culture in college.

????I went to a college in the town next to Amherst in the state of New York. Amherst is named after Lord Jeffrey Amherst, a British general who called for germ warfare against American Indians in the mid-18th century. When white people died of smallpox in that area, he encouraged the smallpox-infected blankets to be taken by soldiers and given to local Native Americans, who then died of smallpox.

????I have benefited from the deaths and forced removal of Native Americans, particularly Algonquins. I benefited by being on that beautiful land. I benefited from the 'economic development' of that land -- farms, factories, schools, houses. Products I consumed, services I used, where I lived, where I was educated -- I received all these benefits.

????As an Irish Catholic, I can also see how others benefited from the genocide of my people, just as I have benefited from the genocide of Native Americans in the US. I am sorry for what my people have done and been complicit in. I grieve for what others have lost or have never had. And I am

????thankful for the life I have and the opportunity to deal with these feelings. I am figuring out what action to take, such as getting to know Native Americans and Native American history and culture. I also want to raise awareness among others of this less-known side of Thanksgiving.

????I’ve been fortunate to have friends of many races, nationalities and social classes, but I’ve realized that for all the diversity in my life that I haven’t even had acquaintances who are Native Americans. And even though Algonquins/ Mohegans used to live on the land where I grew up, there were none in school with me as far as I knew. (Of course some may have hidden their ethnic identity.)

????In the US, much of the mythology of Thanksgiving is about how Native Americans helped white settlers survive their first harsh winterby providing food and teaching themhow to find and grow it. We forget the subsequent acts of genocide and oppression of Native Americans by white settlers. Some Native Americansdon’t like the neglect of this dark but undeniable side of history during Thanksgiving. So this Thanksgiving I am reflecting on my relationship, as an individual and as a member of the white community, to Native Americans who have become 'minority peoples' in their homeland.