‘Been So Long Praying’: 4 Reasons Why I Observe Juneteenth
“’My mother,’ Washington wrote, ‘…explained to us what it all meant, that this was the day for which she had been so long praying but fearing that she would never live to see.’” - TGC
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Good for Steve. Hope he enjoys it. I myself feel absolutely no inclination to celebrate a holiday so historically important that I never even heard of until a couple years ago.
I’m not familiar enough with how it’s celebrated to be sure...
But if it’s a celebration of the pronouncement of freedom, I love it.
It occurs to me that the Jewish Passover (Pesach) commemorates the end of 400 years of slavery in Egypt.
Ha, doesn't look like you guys are ready to be celebrating it either. You just have good vibes toward it. Which isn't substantially any different from what I said. Just more polite. ;)
I'm sure it's a very meaningful celebration for many black communities. Just isn't for me, sorry. And I don't have any plans to adding it to our family calendar, despite AP articles urging me to do so and frequent "black-owned businesses" and "Juneteenth parades" on that day.
In 2014, a marker was placed in Galveston; if there was one before that, I missed it.
I believe it is good to have markers and monuments to remember the past. We see old testament examples in the scripture. Some monuments are a reminder to celebrate. I would place the above in that category. Others are a reminder of past mistakes. I think it is appropriate to remember June 19th, but I also think it is appropriate to remember the whole civil war and all the history that was connected to it. I understand why some do not want monuments to the past taken down even if that past was hurtful to so many others. I also understand why some people would want certain monuments taken down because of the hurt they represent. What it comes down to is that I understand why someone would say that there are good people on both sides of such a debate.
I once made a point of wishing a happy Juneteenth to a black coworker in Texas. It wasn't even on his radar, interestingly.
But I'm with Dan. General holds to the law and announces the Emancipation Proclamation the day he arrives in Galveston, probably risking a riot in the process, and freedom is obtained without bloodshed. That's worth celebrating.
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
Two of my kids asked me separately yesterday what Juneteenth has to do with LGBTQ Pride month. Seems like maybe the Juneteenth messaging isn't working that well.
I've been joking for a while that the six other deadly sins ought to have their own months, too; July can be Sloth Month because that's when we vacation, November can be Gluttony Month for Thanksgiving, December can be Greed Month for Christmas presents, January can be Envy Month for the same reason (who else got what?), February can be Lust Month, and April can be Wrath Month because of tax day.
I'm hoping it doesn't take off!
But back to the inspiration for this thread, Juneteenth is, at least in its inspiration, kinda cool.
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
I've been to several backyard BBQ's and festivals celebrating Juneteenth over the past 25 years in my neighborhood and in Grand Rapids. None of these celebrations have ever been intersected with Pride month.
Although now there is a push by a small minority of queer blacks in certain cities across America to hold intersectional celebrations of Juneteenth and Pride, mainly because they don't feel fully welcome in these main Juneteenth celebrations. So there has been a concentrated effort towards juneteenth/LGBTQ Pride Inclusion, especially funded by alot of rich elite white folks.
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