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Welcome to Juneteenth – A federal holiday that should unite, but unfortunately divides. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers declared the end of the Civil War and slavery in Galveston, Texas, an event that marked the end of slavery nationwide.
Today, however, some conservatives believe that celebrating Juneteenth is somehow part of an “awakened” social takeover. Their concerns are understandable, but they make people miss the fact that Juneteenth reflects our enduring commitment to our founding principles and embodies our nation’s greatest qualities. .
As a black pastor who has been appointed to numerous offices by Republican presidents and governors over the past 30 years, I say this. I strongly supported Juneteenth as a federal holiday in 2021.
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I am deeply concerned to see that some members of Congress subsequently identified this as a left-wing conspiracy and to this day accuse state and local leaders of fostering left-wing agendas. bottom. According to Gallup, such claims help explain why 30% of his Americans still oppose making Juneteenth a federal holiday, and another 25% oppose it.
Juneteenth is a uniquely American celebration and should be viewed as an extension of Independence Day. File: Fireworks go off over the National Mall in Washington, DC to celebrate the 4th of July. (Paul J. Richards/AFP)
I can understand why so many people are wondering about Juneteenth. Congress formally enacted the holiday after George Floyd’s murder prompted some on the left to turn away from America’s founding principles and end extremist policies, such as funding the police.
To this day, some people try to use Juneteenth to highlight American differences and disagreements. But any holiday can be subject to abuse from a disgruntled minority. Their actions should not prevent the rest of the world from understanding the meaning and message of this uniquely American anniversary.
Juneteenth should be thought of as an extension of Independence Day, a holiday that every hot-blooded American cherishes. While Independence Day is a day to declare a nation’s commitment to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” Juneteenth makes this founding promise more realistic than any other act in American history. It is a day to commemorate liberation.
This shows that we have an amazing capacity for self-correction, righting society’s worst mistakes. It states that even the most hurtful people can put their anger aside in favor of applying the timeless principles of the United States and help heal our nation.
“Juneteenth’s Grandmother” is living proof. Opal Lee witnessed 12-year-old Juneteenth set her house on fire by a racist mob. She wouldn’t blame anyone if she was angry or hated her country. But she didn’t go that route.
She believed in America and wanted to celebrate the best of America. So she dedicated her life to making Juneteenth her federal holiday, recognizing that Juneteenth was a testament to our ability to unite and end injustice. . Lee succeeded in the mission. She is now 96 years old and is Honorary President of Heal America, of which I am Co-President. I have never met anyone who loves this country so much.
I have so much to be grateful for on this vacation. Juneteenth demonstrates the power of our founding principles and the strength of the systems our founders built. If we can overcome what many call America’s original sin, slavery, then we can face any challenge. All we need is to use the constitutional structure to advance the ideals of the Declaration of Independence. I can’t think of a stronger endorsement of our national model.
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Likewise, Juneteenth is a reminder that we can move toward the cultural cohesion that conservatives crave. Without this holiday, many black and brown Americans would have felt forever estranged from our autonomy experiment.
Juneteenth should be thought of as an extension of Independence Day, a holiday that every hot-blooded American cherishes. While Independence Day is a day to declare a nation’s commitment to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” Juneteenth makes this founding promise more realistic than any other act in American history. It is a day to commemorate liberation.
Juneteenth empowers us to invest in our nation’s success and contribute to America’s progress. It is the E Pluribus Unum and ensures that we are one among many.
Instead of ignoring or attacking Juneteenth, Americans should embrace Juneteenth and celebrate it together. Moreover, we need to protect it from the manipulation and politicization that people rightly fear. Juneteenth is the time to declare that America is not defined by racism and that the American people are determined to promote freedom, equality and justice for all.
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This is an opportunity to remind ourselves and each other that America does not need a new foundation. Quite the opposite. We need to build on the solid, principled foundations we already have.
This is the core of the conservative worldview, the essence of Juneteenth. This federal holiday is as unifying as Independence Day, and it’s worth acknowledging this fact since it’s his third time Americans celebrate the day.
