Response to Skyla, "Turkey Day"

My question to you is: What's so bad about tofurcky? What's it going to take for Americans to realize Thanksgiving is not about the 20 pound bird in the middle of the table but more about bringing family together? It's still Thanksgiving even if there isn't a turkey.

I agree with Skyla that the tradition of eating a turkey on Thanksgiving is problematic, but unfortunately that is just the beginning of the issues I have with Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a holiday that glorifies the genocide of Native Americans. We all celebrate, give thanks, get together with family and friends, and eat good food, when we don't deserve to celebrate. Americans sometimes like to pick and choose parts of history that are more desirable and paint a prettier picture. Children are taught that the relations between "Indians" and Pilgrims were peaceful. Additionally, I have problems with the Thanksgiving season because Black Friday promotes consumerism and often goes hand in hand with violence. Two years ago, a man was trampled and killed in my hometown at Walmart. Our desire to get what we think is rightfully ours (and this can also be applied to our attitudes about getting land from the Native Americans) can end in tragedy. So, it is interesting to me that Thanksgiving combines the unethical treatment of animals, erasure of genocide, and consumerism gone violent in its traditions.

Question: How can we reform the traditions of Thanksgiving?