Inside the Beltway

Going native

Political correctness has wrung Thanksgiving as dry as an overcooked turkey these days, particularly at the Plimoth Plantation, site of the original 1621 Thanksgiving feast between Pilgrims and the local population of Wampanoag Indians. The plantation’s official visitor guide to “respecting cultural boundaries” reads like a legal brief:

“Today, mistaken ideas about Native People are everywhere. In your conversations with Native staff we ask you to avoid questions or comments that are based on stereotypes, such as war whooping, saying ‘How!’ for a greeting or addressing Native women as ‘squaw’ or men as ‘chief,’” the directive instructs visitors, who pay a $28 entry fee.

“The Native staff that you meet may not look like the stereotypical images of Native People you have seen on TV or in the movies. Like any other ethnic group, Native People are diverse in their appearance. Personal questions such as ‘What is your Native name?’ and ‘Are you a real Indian?’ are not appropriate to ask. Native staff will be glad to discuss why these questions are not appropriate.”

And last but not least:

“At Plimoth Plantation, we request that our visitors do not wear ‘Pilgrim’ or ‘Indian’ costumes while visiting the museum. In our 1627 English Village and on Mayflower II we have highly trained costumed role players on staff. It is often difficult for our other visitors to distinguish between our trained staff and guests who may come in period costume. To avoid any confusion for our other guests, we ask that our guests do not come dressed as ‘Pilgrims.’”

Collateral damage

Should the 9/11 terrorists face federal court or military tribunal? The question elicits bristling answers from politicos and ideologues. Conservatives and Republicans favor the tribunal, liberals and Democrats insist enemy detainees should face federal court in New York City.

Then there is a whole separate chorus for those who maintain that the mere location of the court — Ground Zero, essentially — might prompt another terrorist attack on Manhattan.

Former Republican presidential hopeful and Fox News host Mike Huckabee has thoughts on such things.

“I think it’s absurd, and I think the Obama administration will be as much on trial as Khalid Shaikh Mohammed,” Mr. Huckabee says, according to WDBO, a talk radio station in Orlando.

The media-savvy suspects will use their trials as a forum for anti-American venom and sympathy raising, he predicts.

“And God help us if they get off on a technicality because of the way the evidence was gathered,” Mr. Huckabee adds. “I would tell you not only is the Obama administration finished, I think the Democratic Party is finished.”

The American way

Just a dollop of good news to ponder as the big meal looms: 80 percent of employers have designated both Thanksgiving Day and Friday as paid holidays in 2009, the highest percentage of employers granting two days of paid leave since the Bureau of National Affairs began keeping records almost three decade ago. In addition, 98 percent of employers have scheduled T-Day as a paid day off.

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