Republicans Try Canceling Juneteenth

By Nikki Slusher

It wasn’t until I lived in Texas when I really learned about Juneteenth. On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, issuing General Order Number 3, which declared that all enslaved people were free. It was estimated around 250,000 slaves resided in the state at the time. After the emancipation of slaves in Texas was implemented, it was the official first time the entire country had abolished slavery — two and half years after President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Juneteenth was established as a federal holiday in June 2021 when President Biden signed the bipartisan supported legislation that passed unanimously in the Senate and approved with a 415-14 vote in the House. There is nothing nefarious about recognizing this day in our history. So why are conservatives melting down over the holiday?

TurningPoint USA founder and CEO Charlie Kirk tweeted,” If Juneteenth was really about emancipation, why not…September 22, 1862 when Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation? Or January 1, 1863 when the Proclamation took effect? Or December 18th, 1865 with the ratification of the 13th Amendment?

Because it’s not about emancipation, which was one of America’s great moral achievements. It’s about creating a summertime, race-based competitor two weeks before July 4th, which should be the most unifying civic holiday on the calendar.”

Kirk even went as far to suggest Juneteenth is a “CRT-inspired federal holiday” that “competes with July 4th.” For someone with a noticeably larger forehead there’s sure not a lot going on up there. Former GOP Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker posted, “There would be no #JuneteenthDay without the declaration made on the 4th of July. We are a nation founded on freedom 🇺🇸”.

Candace Owens, the conservative commentator who also worked for TurningPoint USA, shared her sentiments on Twitter stating, “Juneteenth is still ghetto and made up. Hope everyone enjoys it!” Fellow right winger Brigitte Gabriel “Juneteenth is not a holiday.” It’s like the lights are on and nobody’s home when it comes to Klandace and Hanan (Gabriel’s given birth name).

The self-proclaimed Ultra MAGA spokespeople have very short memories though. Back in September 2020 on the presidential campaign trail then-President Donald Trump attempted to woo Black voters in Atlanta with promises, including establishing Juneteenth — the commemoration of the end of U.S. slavery — as a federal holiday. It had been celebrated as a state holiday in Texas and other states prior to that.

Once again, they’re proving they will use anything to make it a “Left vs. Right” issue, even on something as simple as recognizing a national historic event once a year. The group that screamed Democrats were waging a “woke cancel culture” war sure keeps doing a lot of canceling.

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