Section A · Page 8
The University Daily Kansan
Tuesday, November 24, 1998
Thanksgiving
University group supports holiday but not tradition of eating turkey
By Julie M. Sachs
Kansan staff writer
With the holiday eating season just around the corner, Proponents of Animal Liberation are advocating vegetarianism.
Michael Schmitt, Harrisonburg, Va., graduate student, and member of PAL, said the University group was not against the holiday season but that PAL just was opposed to the eating of meat.
Schmitt said that it was unfortunate that a holiday that was based upon giving thanks and being with loved ones had been centered around eating a turkey.
The group's opposition to eating the popular holiday poultry, and meat in general, was based upon the belief that one should treat animals better, protect the environment and protect personal health.
The onset of the Ellsworth Hall Turkey Bowling last Thursday also encouraged the group to voice its opinion on the treatment of turkeys.
"The conditions turkies are raised in slaughterhouses is just gruesome." Schmitt said.
Raising turkeys for eating purposes is marked with a cruel living environment, he said. Turkeys were confined by the thousands in huge warehouses; the birds are forced to stand in their own litter, he said.
The cramped environment can drive some of the birds crazy, which causes them to attack each other; to stop the turkeys from hurting each other, Schmitt said some poultry businesses cut off their beaks. This causes the birds pain and suffering.
Because of the cruel treatment of the traditional holiday turkey, PAL urges people to try vegetarianism on Thanksgiving and every day.
The world would be a better place if we stopped eating meat." Schmitt said.
Sarah Hoskinson, Lawrence freshman and member of PAL, said that the group was not just vocal during the holiday season.
"We advocate abstinence of meat year round." Hoskinson said.
Although Hoskinson said she would not be celebrating Thanksgiving this year, she said that if she did she would be celebrating without meat.
Thanksgiving less jovial for some
Indigenous people recall holiday's lies
For many Americans, Thursday will be Thanksgiving Day: A day to celebrate the arrival and survival of the Pilgrims in their new home.
By Carolyn Mollott
Kansan staff writer
But many politically conscious indigenous people refer to Thursday's holiday as Thankstaking because the first Thanksgiving was a time in which they were struggling to keep hold of the land that had been theirs for centuries.
Indigenous people here still are practicing the traditions that existed long before Europeans came to this continent, she said.
"Instead, I celebrate the survival of indigenous people." Towey said.
And Towey said she made a point of telling people how she felt about Thanksgiving.
Dan Wildcat, Haskell faculty member in the American Indian Studies Program and co-director of the Haskell Environmental Research Studies Center, said Thanksgiving could be viewed on a number of levels.
Elyse Towey, member of the Iowa Nation of Kansas and Nebraska and a member of First Nations Student Association, said she did take offense to the holiday.
He said it was a European holiday that honored indigenous people. But the same people who honor indigenous people on Thanksgiving also are the people who do not mind dishonoring indigenous people with tomahawk cheers and mascots like the Washington Redskins or the Kansas City Chiefs, Wildcat said.
Although Wildcat said he enjoyed spending time with his family on Thanksgiving, he also said indigenous traditions involved giving thanks daily and throughout the year for blessings.
Yellow Bird said the holiday was similar to Columbus Day because both were products of myth-making in America.
"They've been talked about and believed for so long that they've become
"Instead, I celebrate the survival of indigenous people."
Elyse Towey
social welfare and member of the Sahnish/Hidatsa nation.
Member, Iowa Nation of Kansas
truth." Yellow Bird said.
Rather than the traditional celebration, many indigenous people talk about the oppression, slaughter and survival of their indigenous ancestors.
"I'm not saying this is a monolithic viewpoint." Yellow Bird said.
But Yellow Bird said it was a viewpoint shared by many indigenous people who were decolonized — they can see past social lies about events of the past.
Lauren Harmel, Dallas Texas, sophomore, makes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the Kansas Union lobby. The KU Hillel Foundation made 150 sandwiches yesterday for the Penn House, a local charity. Photo by Jeff Severin/KANSAN
Because Thanksgiving only happens once a year, my family seems to think they can recycle their sad little turkey jokes each November without my noticing. I never saw the humor in offering a vegetarian a drumstick or pointing and laughing at her slice of bean loaf. My family does.
Spreading some care
Of course, if you think these products sound amusing, you have not met my family. Not only did I have to consume my patties and my loaf with a big, fake smile pasted across my face, I had to endure the mockery of my nearest and dearest.
Commentary
Vegetarian Thanksgiving can be trying experience
By Steph Brewer Kansan staff writer
The next year, my mother, ever vigilant in her watch for new veggie delights, unearthed bean loaf. One of the reasons I stopped eating meat was to avoid things such as meat loaf. I just don't like the idea of eating food that has been mashed together and shaped like a log. Bean loaf was no exception.
When Thanksgiving rolls around, most people's thoughts turn to turkey. However, the minds of vegetarians turn elsewhere. As a former vegetarian — I have since caved in and started eating fish — my thoughts were usually along the lines of "What nasty meat substitute will my mother feed me this year?"
Most vegetarians could survive on side dishes or prepare something themselves. However, the daughters of Jewish mothers who would sooner die than allow their children to consume a meal sans main dish and who jealously guard their kitchen from intruders on Thanksgiving, do not have this option.
My first year as a vegetarian, my mother plucked a jewel out of the freezer section of our local grocery store, "Tastes like Chicken." That was a great culinary memory. Apparently, the makers of "Tastes like Chicken" were afraid that if they printed the truth and called this miracle of soy, "Tastes like Crap," no one would buy it.
**Tolu Turkey** - 5 pounds tofu, medium in firmness
**Homemade Poultry Seasoning** - makes 1/2 cup
    1/4 cup sage
    2 T. each marjoram, thyme,
    and savory or rosemary
    1 T. black pepper
    1 T. celery seed
**Herbed Whole Turkey**
1. t celery seed
**Herbed Whole Wheat Stuffing** • makes 5 cups
2 T. sesame oil
1 cup onions, diced
1 cup mushrooms, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 T. homemade poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup shoyu soy sauce
4 cups whole wheat bread,
cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1.5-2 cups sliced onions
1/4 cup sesame oil
shoyu soy sauce (2 T. -1/4 cup)
**Mushroom gravy**
1 makes 8 cups
2 T. sesame oil
2 onions, diced
6 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 cup whole wheat flour
6/7 cups water
**Gamish**
3杯奶油 soy sauce
1 large sprig parsley, and/or fresh sage
Mash tofu well. Line a colander (1.1 3/4 inches wide, including lip) with a single layer of moistened cheesecloth. Transfer totof to colander. Press tofu to flatten and fold edges of cheesecloth over it. weigh it a cake tin or other flat object over the surface of the dough down with a heavy object (about five pounds) to press liquid from totof for one hour.
To prepare homemade poultry seasoning, simply mix ingredients well.
To prepare stuffing, heat oil and saute mushrooms, celery and garlic. Sprinkle poultry seasoning over vegetables. Dissolve salt. Shoyu and add to pot. Stir, cover, and continue to cook until vegetables s
Hollow out tofu to within one inch of colander. Pack in stuffing and cover with remaining tofu. Pat down so surface is flat and firm. Oil a baking sheet, and flip filled tofu onto sheet so the flat surface faces down. Remove cheesecloth.
- Remove cheesecloth.
Mix basting liquid and brush tofu with it, then cover the tofu with foil-bake at 400 degrees F for one hour. Remove foil, baste, and to oven to bake uncovered until "skin" becomes golden brown) - about one hour more. Baste again halfway through.
* prepare heat, gravy, oil and cake mixture together.*
you more, baste again halfway through. To prepare gravy, heat oil and sutile onions and mushrooms. Mix flour with water. Bring to a boiler over high heat, stirring often, then simmer uncover, over medium heat for one half hour, stirring occasionally. For large amounts, increase ingredients proportionately, except keep the ratio the same between water and shoyu. Using two spatulas, transfer foil to another pan on the side.
tulas, transfer tofu turkey to serving platter. Serve gravy
Recipe from East/West Journal November 1986
Nancy
Connor, nutrition
educator at the Community Mercantile, 901 Mississippi St., said vegetarians should not regret the lack of turkey at Thanksgiving.
"It's a wonderful time for vegetarians too," she said.
"There are lots of other foods besides turkey," she said. "If you're looking for a replacement, we have a product called Tofurky."
G Connor offered me some food suggestions that do not pretend to taste like chicken and do not come in a loaf.
Tofurky is a turkey-shaped concoction made of tofu and tempeh and includes stuffing. O'Connor said the Community Mercantile also had handouts with recipes to make your own tofu turkey at home.
If you think cranberry sauce and garnish are the only foods a vegetarian can eat for Thanksgiving, you are wrong. A popular vegetarian dish for Thanksgiving is Tofu Turkey. Photo illustration by Augustus Anthony Piazza/KANSAN
However soy isn't for everyone. Even O'Connor agreed that "Tastes like Chicken" didn't sound like a fun Thanksgiving option.
"That might send people screaming from the table," she said.
Jill Richardson, Lawrence junior, said that she did not like meat substitutes.
"Just the taste of meat makes me sick." she said.
Richardson said she just eats the side dishes at Thanksgiving dinner.
For those who want more than potatoes but do not want to brave bean loaf or tofu turkey, O'Connor suggested being creative and trying things such as corn pudding, pumpkin dishes or
casseroles.
"In other words, don't stay in the groove of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy," she said. "Branch out. Have fun."
I agree with O'Connor; Thanksgiving
should be an enjoyable holiday for all. I don't need a drumstick on my plate to have a good time. On the other hand, even turkey might be better than bean loaf...
No time for turkey for many workers in Lawrence area
By Karen Lucas
Special to the Kansan
While most University of Kansas students and faculty plan to spend Thanksgiving Day eating turkey and watching football games on television, various workers in the Lawrence community will have to punch their time cards.
jason Coen, executive chef at Shalor's, 701 Massachusetts St., will be busy preparing a Thanksgiving buffet. Shalor's is one of the few Lawrence restaurants that will be open on Thanksgiving.
tnanksgiving will be a work day as well for Chuck Woodling, sports editor for the Lawrence Journal-World. 609 New Hampshire St.
"I'll make other people happy," Coen said. "A lot of out-of-town guests and elderly people can't or don't want to cook an elaborate meal."
"In this business you got to work on holidays," Woodling said.
David Nickol, manager at Liberty Hall Video, 642 Massachusetts St., said he thought the store would be busier than usual for a Thursday.
Shafer expected Dillons would be busy that day. "People will come in for last-minute items like rolls, butter and sweet potatoes," she said.
Nor will Thanksgiving be a day off for Debbie Shafer, cashier at Dillons, 1740 Massachusetts St.
"I volunteered to work because we don't have
"It a day most people will have off," he said. "A lot of them will rent videos."
It also will be the same workday routine for Fletcher Miller, physician in the emergency room at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, 325 Maine St.
"We pretty much understand that we don't have much of a choice when the holidays roll around because we're a 24-hour, service-oriented facility," Miller said.
"I volunteered to work because we don't have enough help," she said.
For Brooke Baird, registered nurse, it will be her first Thanksgiving away from her family.
"But I'll get to come here and be with my coworkers," she said. "They're like my extended family."
Miller said they expected to be less busy than usual because students tended to go home for the holiday.
Capt. Phil Kuhnert, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical Station 1,746 Kentucky St., will be on duty as well.
"We'll cook a turkey and have Thanksgiving dinner," Kuhnert said. "If there's a call, we'll get up and do our job and then come back and carry on with our holiday activities."