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Park Service Wrongly Celebrates Juneteenth as ‘National Independence Day’

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It has long been clear that the leftist activists who succeeded in getting “Juneteenth” added as a federal holiday meant to strip Independence Day of some of its moral and historical significance. The timing of Juneteenth, only a fortnight and change before the Fourth of July, is intended to usurp some of the Fourth’s glory. At the same time, the theme of the new holiday is designed to suggest that slavery, rather than liberty, is the defining feature of our founding. It’s an attempt to make 1776 vie with 1619, with the abolition of slavery being portrayed as our real moment of independence, in place of the moment when we actually proclaimed our independence and declared that “all men are created equal.”

Now the National Park Service has sent out an email celebrating Juneteenth as “National Independence Day.” If Juneteenth is that, then what is the Fourth of July? The email conveys that the NPS is “thrilled to announce that all national parks … will offer free entry on June 19th.” It adds, “On Juneteenth, we honor the enduring journey toward freedom and equality.” Most Americans would associate such language with the Fourth.

While the NPS now regularly denigrates or marginalizes our founding — witness its ongoing efforts to make the Jefferson Memorial woke — its communication about Juneteenth, unfortunately, is not really an example of the agency’s having gone rogue. Per the Office of Personnel Management, the official name of the holiday to be observed on June 19 is “Juneteenth National Independence Day.” The official name of the holiday to follow 15 days later is “Independence Day.” It could hardly be clearer that Juneteenth was intended to compete with, and partially marginalize, the Fourth of July.

America does not need, should not have, and does not legitimately have, two Independence Days. Designating Juneteenth as “National Independence Day” intrudes upon our actual Independence Day. It suggests that Americans’ freedom doesn’t really trace to the Declaration of Independence but rather to the Emancipation Proclamation — or, more exactly, to awareness of that proclamation (more than two years after it was issued). It also suggests that our actual Independence Day doesn’t apply to all Americans.

The author of the Emancipation Proclamation viewed these matters quite differently. In his wonderful 1858 Chicago speech, Abraham Lincoln said, “Now, it happens that we meet together once every year, somewhere about the 4th of July, for some reason or other.” He began examining that reason by referencing the direct ancestors of many in attendance: “We run our memory back over the pages of history for about eighty-two years, and we discover … a race of men living in that day whom we claim as our fathers and grandfathers.” These “were iron men … and we understood that by what they then did it has followed that the degree of prosperity which we now enjoy has come to us.” (Read more from “Park Service Wrongly Celebrates Juneteenth as ‘National Independence Day’” HERE)

Juneteenth Is Now Just Another Tool to Advance Equity (AKA Race-Based Discrimination)

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Whatever Juneteenth once stood for as a state holiday is dead and gone. Today, leftists use the new federal holiday as merely the latest tool to advance “equity” — aka race-based discrimination — and further entrench Critical Race Theory into American society.

That Democrats are using something positive and noncontroversial — the celebration of emancipation and an end to slavery — to push its anti-American agenda is unsurprising. The Left always takes that which is proper and twists it for their own end. What is alarming is how many Republicans are oblivious to this tactic.

To start, consider that leftist success depends upon invoking fear, preying upon the goodwill of Americans, and conning gullible rubes in the GOP. To see a textbook example of that strategy, look no further than how “Juneteenth National Independence Day” came to be.

For background, on June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, and announced slavery had ended via the Emancipation Proclamation more than two years earlier. Since then, varying communities have celebrated “Juneteenth” most predominantly in Texas. Its regional significance and place in black culture should not be understated — even if not recognized by the majority of Americans.

(Read more from “Juneteenth Is Now Just Another Tool to Advance Equity (AKA Race-Based Discrimination)” HERE)

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VP Harris Botches Juneteenth History Lesson About ‘400 Years of Slavery’

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Vice President Kamala Harris bungled a history lesson about the Juneteenth holiday Monday, telling kids that black people were enslaved in America for 400 years — overstating the actual time period by more than 150 years.

“I think that we all know today is a day to celebrate the principle of freedom,” Harris told a group of about two dozen elementary school-age children at the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington. “And think about it in terms of the context of history, knowing that black people in America were not free for 400 years of slavery.”

“Let this be a day that is a day to celebrate the principle of freedom, but to speak about it honestly and accurately, both in the context of history and current application,” Harris went on during her apparently extemporaneous remarks.

The first African slaves in the American colonies arrived in 1619 in Virginia. Slavery was abolished through the 13th Amendment, which was ratified in 1865 — ending 246 years of the practice, not 400.

A White House official acknowledged Harris’ error, telling The Post that “the vice president was referring to 400 years since slavery began.” (Read more from “VP Harris Botches Juneteenth History Lesson About ‘400 Years of Slavery’” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

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Democratic Mayor Unveils Giant Hair Pick to Celebrate Juneteenth, Promptly Gets Roasted

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A giant Afro hair pick with a clenched “black power” fist was unveiled in New Orleans on Friday in celebration of Juneteenth – the holiday paying tribute to the last American slaves being freed. However, the eyebrow-raising statue was widely panned online. . .

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell – a Democrat – touted the hair pick statue as “breathtaking” on Twitter. . .

However, not everyone saw the gigantic hair pick as “breathtaking” in reactions on Twitter – including many black Americans.

“Fearless” host Jason Whitlock: “Imagine being mayor of a major city, spending money on a monument that depicts the accomplishments of black people, and deciding on a hair pick. They would recall a white mayor for demeaning us. Instead, we’ll shout ‘Yaass Queen’ and pretend nothing is wrong.”

Author Darrell B. Harrison: “Because we all know how important it was for my ancestors to keep their afros lookin’ tight during those ‘struggles, fights, and protests.'” (Read more from “Democratic Mayor Unveils Giant Hair Pick to Celebrate Juneteenth, Promptly Gets Roasted: ‘This Is a Joke'” HERE)

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Juneteenth Celebrations Around the Nation Marred by Shootings, Death

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By Breitbart. Juneteenth celebrations in Oakland, California; Aurora, Colorado; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Clover, South Carolina; and Flint, Michigan, were marred by shootings and death.

ABC News reports that Oakland’s Juneteenth celebration at Lake Merritt was interrupted by gunfire at 6:22 p.m. When the shots ended, seven shooting victims were discovered, included a 22-year-old man who was killed in the incident.

The Aurora Juneteenth celebration was brought to a violent end when multiple shooters unleashed 114 rounds on attendees, wounding four and killing one.

KKTV notes the “Public Safety Dispatch Center received at least 50 calls for service” regarding the Aurora attack. (Read more from “Juneteenth Celebrations Around the Nation Marred by Shootings, Death” HERE)

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1 Killed, 4 Others Shot in Aurora at Site of Juneteenth Celebration

By KKTV. One person is dead and four others hurt after multiple shooters opened fire in a strip mall parking lot in Aurora early Sunday morning.

The phone began ringing off the hook at Aurora’s Public Safety Dispatch Center just after 4:15 a.m. on reports of gunshots and a possible active shooter. . .

There was a huge crowd in the mall parking lot when officers pulled up. Police were able to find one shooting victim on the ground suffering serious injuries and performed CPR until medical arrived. He later died at an area hospital.

Four others, three men and a woman, were also shot but transported themselves to hospitals before police arrived. All are expected to survive.

Police say the crowd at the mall had been there for a Juneteenth celebration, which grew so large it began overflowing into the parking lot. This was not affiliated with the city-sponsored Juneteenth event, which took place Saturday afternoon at the Town Center of Aurora. (Read more from “1 Killed, 4 Others Shot in Aurora at Site of Juneteenth Celebration” HERE)

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Juneteenth Celebrations, Graduation Party, Concert All Marred by Weekend Gun Violence

By ABC News. Juneteenth celebrations this weekend in California, South Carolina, Michigan and Colorado, a high school graduation party in Philadelphia and a concert in Baton Rouge were all marred by gun violence as five people were killed and 24 were wounded, authorities said.

President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday making Juneteenth a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States — just in time for Saturday’s June 19 anniversary. It’s a day Black Americans have celebrated yearly since the Civil War era, and this weekend was the culmination of a decadeslong effort by advocates to get national recognition for the momentous development in American history.

But gunfire erupted around 6:22 p.m. on Saturday in Oakland, California, near where people were gathered by Lake Merritt for a celebration marking the first Juneteenth as a federal holiday. The Oakland Police Department said seven people were shot, including a 22-year-old man who died from his wounds.

(Read more from “Juneteenth Celebrations, Graduation Party, Concert All Marred by Weekend Gun Violence” HERE)

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