<p>Hawkette, Christopher Columbus’ “discovery” of the New World led to its occupation, subjugation and ethnic cleansing.</p>
<p>Thanksgiving Day “celebrates” the beginning of a systematic European effort to conquer North America, and in so doing exterminate the “subhuman” native population.</p>
<p>You can wave your hands in protest or whatever, but the fact of the matter is, America is founded on a bedrock of violent conquest, suffering and slaughter.</p>
<p>We can’t turn back the clock (and nobody’s saying we should) but we can look at our own history and see more than our fair share of blemishes.</p>
<p>Besides, “terrorism” is in the eye of the beholder, pretty much.</p>
<p>From the British point of view, George Washington was a terrorist leader and traitor who violently overthrew the established government with a bloody rebellion.</p>
<p>Does that make what he did wrong? No.</p>
<p>From the Mexican point of view, the Mexican-American War was an unprovoked, bloodthirsty and brazen effort to seize half of its land by armed conquest, making James K. Polk little better than a predecessor to Hitler.</p>
<p>History is complex. There are no knights in shining armor.</p>