Senate passes bill to establish Juneteenth as a national holiday

[VySky]

Why didnt you answer the question? WHo says those things should remain? We're discussing changes.

Now, please answer my question. Why should we keep a religious holiday and not make room for one that commemorates an important national historic event?

I answered it. Our country in part was founded on Christianity so Federal holidays relative to that union are appropriate

 

[Lursa]

I answered it. Our country in part was founded on Christianity so Federal holidays relative to that union are appropriate

Nope, that's 'your opinion' but it's not founded in law. It's a holdover...and there's no justification for keeping it 'except' that many people like it.

Well that's fine. I like it too. But if, as people say, there are too many federal holidays, that it's completely appropriate that one that does not include many of America's citizens be bumped. All the others recognize people or events that affected our country...and everyone in it...at a national level. Including Juneteenth.

So again, what's the justification to keep it IF we need to remove holidays in order to create others?

 

[NWRatCon]

Why?

There are various reasons. First, it is, I think, to acknowledge and celebrate the importance of the elimination of slavery from our national system. That's important to all of our citizenry as we strive toward a more perfect union. I also think that is a separate thing than Martin Luther King. Second, I think more national holidays are a good idea. We all need more time off (and I'm retired!). Third, I think reflecting on various aspects of our national history is a good idea, and national holidays provide an opportunity to do that. That is also why I genuinely think we should have a "national reunion day" to commemorate the end of the Civil War.

 

[Sagittarius83]

There are various reasons. First, it is, I think, to acknowledge and celebrate the importance of the elimination of slavery from our national system. That's important to all of our citizenry as we strive toward a more perfect union. I also think that is a separate thing than Martin Luther King. Second, I think more national holidays are a good idea. We all need more time off (and I'm retired!). Third, I think reflecting on various aspects of our national history is a good idea, and national holidays provide an opportunity to do that. That is also why I genuinely think we should have a "national reunion day" to commemorate the end of the Civil War.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree. I think that an additional 600 million dollars a year is too much money to spend for making a statement about an event from 150 years ago. But if people in the states are hell bent on making this a holiday, it seems like one of the other federal holidays should be omitted to make it a wash. Is president’s day still celebrated in the states? That would be a good one to dismantle or maybe New Year’s Day as there was a holiday just one week before. Is Columbus Day a US federal holiday? That is a celebration of European colonialism right? Perhaps Christmas because it is a celebration of Christianity and Christians were the predominant slave holders. Perhaps Christmas Eve AND Christmas as that would free up two federal holidays. One for Juneteenth and another for George Floyd Day.

But I guess this doesn’t affect me at all so it doesn’t matter.

 

[Moi621]

There are various reasons. First, it is, I think, to acknowledge and celebrate the importance of the elimination of slavery from our national system. That's important to all of our citizenry as we strive toward a more perfect union. I also think that is a separate thing than Martin Luther King. Second, I think more national holidays are a good idea. We all need more time off (and I'm retired!). Third, I think reflecting on various aspects of our national history is a good idea, and national holidays provide an opportunity to do that. That is also why I genuinely think we should have a "national reunion day" to commemorate the end of the Civil War.

Had Black Americans ancestors not been sold as slaves,
they would have merely been exterminated in Africa
by the conquering tribe.


Moi

Buckwheat
became a crack hoe . . .​

 

[Moi621]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/house-pa...ns-desk-for-signature-into-law-233117789.html

House passes bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday, sending it to Biden's desk for signature into law​

In a resounding bipartisan vote, the House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday making Juneteenth, the day commemorating the official end of slavery in the United States, a federal holiday. .


Witness the the political cowardice!


Moi

​

​

 

[Lursa]

Had Black Americans ancestors not been sold as slaves,
they would have merely been exterminated in Africa
by the conquering tribe.


Moi

What 'conquering tribe?'

 

[Somerville]

One nation under God.
In God we Trust.

When did those two phrases get adopted as part of the national ethos?

What was the nation's first motto?

 

[Moi621]

What 'conquering tribe?'

Study up
and please get back to Moi




Their people could sell "them" east.
Sugar cane workers were always needed.

Veterans of the Crusades, desired sugar & spices
They needed JEWS to conduct trade between . . ,


But, Hey, I acknowledge thread drift

ttfn
dinner calling
Moi

 

[Questerr]

I answered it. Our country in part was founded on Christianity so Federal holidays relative to that union are appropriate

Founded on Christianity? So keeping everyone except rich white men from having rights is the Christian way?

 

[Lursa]

Study up
and please get back to Moi




Their people could sell "them" east.
Sugar cane workers were always needed.

Veterans of the Crusades, desired sugar & spices
They needed JEWS to conduct trade between . . ,


But, Hey, I acknowledge thread drift

ttfn
dinner calling
Moi

So you are making the point that fellow Africans conquered other African tribes?

Just like European tribes and countries conquered other European tribes and countries?

Just like Native American tribes conquered other Native American tribes?

Just like South American tribes and nations conquered other South American tribes and nations?

Etc. In all cases they took and traded in slaves.

I guess I'm missing your point. Can you please clarify it?

 

[Moi621]

Founded on Christianity? So keeping everyone except rich white men from having rights is the Christian way?

YES!
As well as The Masons too.
And da Jews!

Show Moi when some others
achieved better.


Moi

Who Is the ​

 

[jpn]

Government workers get election day off and almost all private industry workers have to work that day. It really is the ultimate voter suppression I know of.

False.

 

[jotathought]

Sweet .. another day off in the summer to grill out and drink beer.

 

[jpn]

I answered it. Our country in part was founded on Christianity so Federal holidays relative to that union are appropriate

"In part"? Which part? Please be specific as to what laws/policies/federal institutions were "founded on Christianity."

 

[jpn]

One nation under God.
In God we Trust.

These are slogans adopted by conservative religious types that were added to the pledge, added to the money, centuries after the nation's founding. They have zero impact or effect on our federal laws, policies, institutions.

 

[jpn]

Sweet .. another day off in the summer to grill out and drink beer.

Right on. Summer holidays are the best.

 

[NolanVoyd]

The only issue I have with election day being a holiday is that some people still have to work on that day, holiday or not, especially some of the lowest paid employees. Fast food places and retail stores aren't going to close for Election Day just because it is a federal holiday. Hell, I've had several jobs where I had to work Thanksgiving and even one where we worked Christmas. So I would just want some sort of caveat put in that employers have to still give time off for their employees to vote if they do not get that day off.

I believe employers are already required to give employees time off to vote.

 

[jpn]

We should probably start reducing by getting rid of the religious holiday...since that shouldnt be supported by the feds anyway.
Do you agree? If not, why not?

I agree. The only mention of religion in our Constitution is a negative one--insisting that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

It seems to me that passing federal laws that recognize a Christian religious holiday (but never a Jewish holiday, or a Muslim holiday, or a polytheist holiday, or an atheist holiday) violates the First Amendment.

 

[NolanVoyd]

Had Black Americans ancestors not been sold as slaves,
they would have merely been exterminated in Africa
by the conquering tribe.


Moi

View attachment 67338312
Buckwheat
became a crack hoe . . .​

Wow.

What's it like to be a racist?

Hard for me to imagine.

 

[ecofarm]

I don't know where they got that date from. Slavery didn't end in the United States until 6 Dec 1865 with the ratification of the 13th amendment.

"Legally, the last 40,000–45,000 slaves were freed in the last two slave states of Kentucky and Delaware[299] by the final ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution on December 18, 1865. Slaves still held in Tennessee, Kentucky, Kansas, New Jersey, Delaware, West Virginia, Maryland, Missouri, Washington, D.C., and twelve parishes of Louisiana[300] also became legally free on this date."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_the_United_States#End_of_slavery

So one could say the end of slavery was on either 6 Dec or 18 Dec 1865 when the last slaves were freed. It certainly wasn't 19 June. This makes me wonder if anyone in congress bothered to check the dates. On 19 June 1865 you still had between 40-45,000 legally owned slaves in different states.

Seems to me if we're going to make the official end of slavery in the U.S. a national holiday, at least they could get the date right. This is kind of like celebrating the 4th of July in January.

On the morning of Monday, June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived on the island of Galveston, Texas,[20] to take command of the more than 2,000 federal troops[21] recently landed in the department of Texas to enforce the emancipation of its slaves and oversee a peaceful transition of power, additionally nullifying all laws passed within Texas during the war by Confederate lawmakers.[20] The Texas Historical Commission and Galveston Historical Foundation report that Granger’s men marched throughout Galveston reading General Order No. 3 first at Union Army Headquarters at the Osterman Building (formerly at the intersection of Strand Street and 22nd Street, since demolished), in the Strand Historic District. Next they marched to the 1861 Customs House and Courthouse before finally marching to the Negro Church on Broadway, since renamed Reedy Chapel-AME Church.[22] The order informed all Texans that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves were free:

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. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.[23]

...Formerly enslaved people in Galveston celebrated after the announcement.[5] On June 19, 1866, one year after the announcement, freedmen in Texas organized the first of what became the annual celebration of "Jubilee Day" (Day of Jubilee).[23]

Juneteenth - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[jpn]

I believe employers are already required to give employees time off to vote.

It's regulated by state. There is no federal law to that effect.

There is also no federal law that private employers recognize federal holidays.

 

[NolanVoyd]

I agree. The only mention of religion in our Constitution is a negative one--insisting that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

It seems to me that passing federal laws that recognize a Christian religious holiday (but never a Jewish holiday, or a Muslim holiday, or a polytheist holiday, or an atheist holiday) violates the First Amendment.

I totally agree, but is there such a thing as an atheist holiday.

I missed the memo.

 

[jpn]

I totally agree, but is there such a thing as an atheist holiday.
I missed the memo.

My point exactly.

Celebrating minds unencumbered by dogma just isn't a thing. It should be.

 

[charliebrown]

False.

Is it? Many states have laws, hours off or state holiday where all government employees are given the time off, but the state does not enforce these laws on the private corporations, VOTER SUPPRESSION!!!! If it was a federal holiday, and all voting across the country occurred on the same day, then it would be more balanced.