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Not one event you mentioned was declared a Federal Holiday.
Christmas is. However the high holidays are not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jertheber
Absolutely, but those who want to dismiss the entirety of any national black celebrations need to find something that justifies their own entrenched bias..
We have some posters here who wave the 'pandering' flag only when it relates to black folks.
You never saw the results of slavery or the monument to the 54th MA in Boston?
Sure, if only one group of people fought to make it happen.
You see? You compare a holiday you call 'specific' to what you call a holiday which can be celebrated by all. Veteran's Day honors veterans. Even if one is not a veteran, he or she can salute veterans. Same thing with Juneteenth. Even if one's forebears were not slaves in America, one can celebrate the end of slavery. Unemployed people celebrate Labor Day. They celebrate Bennington Battle Day with a state holiday in Vermont and the battle did not even happen in that state!
That's cultural hegemony in a majority-Christian nation. Not even all Christians celebrate Christmas.
Any American who says that he or she has no connection to slavery is being foolish. Who do you think built the White House and Georgetown University? Remember Tituba at the Salem witch trials? Slavery as a historical fact permeates American economic and social history -- it is not like a school some attended and others did not.
That's like saying one has no connection to American independence. You are just being shortsighted as to American history.
If Columbus was not the first European to set foot in the Western Hemisphere, never set foot on the North American continent and went back to Spain in chains, what are we celebrating? Is that pandering to southern Europeans?
I think you are still missing my point but that is Okay because we can agree to disagree.
I love History and think that we should all learn it because it is being forgotten.
Yes I have seen the monument to the 54th opposite the State House in Boston and one of my favorite movies is "Glory". A year and 3 days ago I was walking in the fields of Gettysburg.
Veterans day is for Veterans but it is celebrated by everyone of us because the majority of us have either served or had a family member who did. It is an American Holiday where we can thank a Veteran for helping to keep this country great.
At Christmas we all have a choice. We either celebrate Jesus or Santa Claus or both. Every race and religion is welcome to enjoy the Holiday Spirit. I once worked for a Jewish guy and he had a Christmas Tree right next to his Menora.
Slavery is a Dark Stain on American History but so is so many other things, just ask most Native Americans how they feel. I don't know why as a Nation we cannot move beyond the "white guilt" of Slavery. It happened over 150 years ago and most of us as individuals have put it aside because we believe in our neighbors that happen to be Black. The only thing in 2023 that is holding back black people are themselves.
Juneteenth is a National Holiday that simply does not apply to everyone as the other Holidays do. Just because the WH was built by slaves doesn't really mean much today. What about the indentured servants that came from Ireland that were treated like property? The Irish were slaves before the Africans were and in our History there was a time when signs outside establishments read "NO Blacks and NO Irish". I guess the Irish have been placated by Saint Patrick's day which is not a National Holiday. Maybe they should have held out for one?
What is interesting is that we have a Black History Month and we have a Gay Pride Month as well. I guess what will be next is to designate a day as a Federal Holiday for the LGBQTI crowd? Why not? gay people have contributed much to our Society so they should be recognized right?
In the end IF celebrating Juneteenth makes people feel better about themselves than that is terrific.
Although the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued two years earlier, it wasn’t until this date — two months after the Civil War ended — that all those enslaved in Texas learned they were free.
Union Gen. Gordon Granger delivered the news to those enslaved in Galveston that the Civil War had ended:
“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.”
This (Juneteenth) would be a perfect holiday for black Americans to publicly express gratitude for the ultimate sacrifice so many (white) Americans made to free their ancestors.
The 642,427 total Union casualties have been divided accordingly:
110,100 killed in battle
224,580 diseases
275,174 wounded in action
30,192 prisoners of war
Maybe BLM will lead the effort. They are not known for expressing gratitude so this might be part of an image makeover.
It seem so odd that America's identity is so much about freedom and rights and two holidays celebrating freedom and Civil Rights have gotten the most backlash from conservatives. Its like they're only happy when Rights and Freedom involve white people's contributions to the American identity.
It seem so odd that America's identity is so much about freedom and rights and two holidays celebrating freedom and Civil Rights have gotten the most backlash from conservatives. Its like they're only happy when Rights and Freedom involve white people's contributions to the American identity.
Juneteenth actually commemorates the (successful and bloody) efforts of white Americans to end slavery in Texas.
Veterans day is for Veterans but it is celebrated by everyone of us because the majority of us have either served or had a family member who did. It is an American Holiday where we can thank a Veteran for helping to keep this country great.
You are presumptuous to connect people who celebrate Veterans to their own families or their selves. Can't it just be everyone?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cape Cod Todd
At Christmas we all have a choice. We either celebrate Jesus or Santa Claus or both. Every race and religion is welcome to enjoy the Holiday Spirit. I once worked for a Jewish guy and he had a Christmas Tree right next to his Menora.
Once again, you play fast and loose with statistics, but that's not the point.
Why do you make an effort to state that Juneteenth is only for black folks and we shouldn't have such a national holiday? You are wrong on both counts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cape Cod Todd
I don't know why as a Nation we cannot move beyond the "white guilt" of Slavery. It happened over 150 years ago and most of us as individuals have put it aside because we believe in our neighbors that happen to be Black.
You presume and self-congratulate. Ask Armaud Arbery.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cape Cod Todd
Juneteenth is a National Holiday that simply does not apply to everyone as the other Holidays do.
Why not? once again, you throw out statements without any basis.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cape Cod Todd
Just because the WH was built by slaves doesn't really mean much today.
It means stop ignoring slavery, though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cape Cod Todd
What about the indentured servants that came from Ireland that were treated like property? The Irish were slaves before the Africans were and in our History there was a time when signs outside establishments read "NO Blacks and NO Irish".
Let's not deflect. No Irish were slaves in America or were freed by the 13th amendment.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cape Cod Todd
What is interesting is that we have a Black History Month and we have a Gay Pride Month ...
This (Juneteenth) would be a perfect holiday for black Americans to publicly express gratitude for the ultimate sacrifice so many (white) Americans made to free their ancestors.
At least 200,000 blacks fought in the Civil War with about 30,000 casualties. Blacks made up about 10% of the Union army but not 10% of the non-slave state population.
It seem so odd that America's identity is so much about freedom and rights and two holidays celebrating freedom and Civil Rights have gotten the most backlash from conservatives. Its like they're only happy when Rights and Freedom involve white people's contributions to the American identity.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quick Commenter
Juneteenth actually commemorates the (successful and bloody) efforts of white Americans to end slavery in Texas.
So what are you talking about.?
I don't know if the poster is "conservative or not but in this thread most recent to this is post 104:
"june teenth, a federal holiday for black people, no whites allowed"
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