I have to confess that when I heard about this I had mixed feelings. I put my politics aside and found that I was for it.
In fact, to put it another way, how on earth did we not already have a national holiday for ending chattel slavery? We’ve simply made it official. And it is not even about race. It’s about chattel slavery.We no longer promote it nor do it, and we can celebrate it with a national holiday.
That actually seems like a good idea, as national holidays go.
So why, if “Juneteenth” falls on a Saturday, are federal employees getting Friday off?? This particular day is intended to benefit just one ethnic group - but they got one with MLK day about 20 years ago ... now that group is demanding more?? When does it end??
At some level Lincoln’s Birthday used to be that day. But that was completely de-emphasized and deleted because it made it too clear that it was Republicans who ended slavery.
We do promote and do it, at least allow it still, it's called human trafficking
Oh but it is.
“In fact, to put it another way, how on earth did we not already have a national holiday for ending chattel slavery? We’ve simply made it official.”
But wouldn’t it have been better to celebrate the day slavery was officially abolished in the United States?
If you know what I mean.
Dims don’t want the true Independence Day.
How, might you ask, is Exceptionalism of an American variety found in a "day that's a sop to wokey people"? First, I don't see it that way: I know black folks who've celebrated Juneteenth for a long time (I just learned about it in 2020). It is the wokey people that are new to the game but are acting like they've been on-board since the 1860s.
Second, (perhaps fittingly) I must quote Condoleezza Rice who absolutely nailed why this holiday makes America exceptional, last summer:
Well, I’ve always thought that America’s greatest strength is that we are a country where you can come from humble circumstances and do great things, and where, despite our painful history, we’ve worked harder and harder every day, brick by brick, to build a more perfect union for all of us. And I would say to those, particularly in places like China and Russia and Iran, who may want to use this for propaganda, let’s not be absurd.
This is not Tiananmen Square where you’ve mowed down people who disagreed with the government. This is not the invasion of Crimea where you took land from your neighbor. This is not the Green Revolution in Iran where you killed people wantonly because they wouldn’t agree with the theocratic government.
Rice continued, “And I would even say to our friends abroad, in places like Europe, where I’m seeing demonstrations in support of what is happening here, thank you for your support, but please look in the mirror. Please ask yourself, in countries in Europe and countries all across the world, what are you doing about racial and ethnic inequality in your own circumstances? America has gotten better because we have been willing to confront our problems. And we’re going to confront our problems again. We’re confronting them now.
“But I really don’t need to be lectured by Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping about peaceful protest when they have themselves used their own force just because people wanted to criticize the government. That is not what is happening here,” she added.
I understand the concerns people have, that we are Americans first and holidays like Juneteenth potentially emphasize the prefixes people love to use, e.g., Italian-Americans, Irish-Americans, African-Americans, more than the suffix. Fair enough. But the same can be said for Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Labor Day, and maybe even Christmas. Those holidays, which btw I'd never dream of repealing, fundamentally celebrate people who've given and sacrificed (sometimes ultimately) for the betterment of this nation. As a Christian I can get behind Christmas easily and point to how Jesus helped give us America; my Jewish friends order Chinese food that day, so we all win.
Maybe other people have different motivations for Juneteenth, but fundamentally and in line with Dr Rice, Juneteenth celebrates America embracing freedom. Other nations' histories have nasty things but only America has the testicular fortitude to address them AND fix them and then celebrate that correction. Frankly, many people whining about Juneteenth strike me as being akin to a husband who dislikes his mother-in-law but acts out by criticizing her cooking.
In that same spirit I consider adding a federal holiday to celebrate the emancipation of slaves (I mean, we DID have a little war that sorta touched upon this scourge....it's not a holiday celebrating Elvis and James Brown though that'd be bitchin') to be prima facie evidence of what makes America Exceptional AND better than every other nation on the planet. On that basis, two thumbs up.
Good idea, I agree.
I can not wait for next years Joonteenfe White Sale at JCPennys!
I have been told the official name of the holiday is: Juneteenth National Independence Day.
How will you feel when Acting President Biden reads a flash card that has been prepared for him that states our country has one too many "Independence" days and, like Washington's Birthday, the old, confusing July 4th holiday is being folded in with something else?
Happy ‘Fry Day’ to Julius and Ethel Rosenberg! Celebrate with some sparklers this evening...teach your children some important U.S. history...