For social justice activist Glenn Harris, President Donald Trump’s statement on Juneteenth, arguing there are “too many nonworking holidays in America” costing the country “billions of dollars,” was no surprise.
Harris said the comments coming on the federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States were consistent with Trump’s most recent policies and practices working against people of color.
“In many ways it’s just a continuation of this administration’s attempt to erase the civil rights, free speech and literally the history of Black and brown people,” said Harris, who is president of Race Forward.
Since taking office in January, the Trump administration has sought to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion practices in the federal government, corporate America and college campuses. The administration has also dismissed high-ranking minorities from the military, removed government webpages celebrating the historic achievements of people of color and accused the National Museum of African American History and Culture of being influenced by “divisive, race-centered ideology.”
Trump’s attacks on DEI led some groups to scale back or cancel Juneteenth events this year.
{snip}
Jeremy Paul, a constitutional law professor at Northeastern University, said making Juneteenth a federal holiday gave it fresh significance to the US.
“It changes the culture of the country when we decide that this is something that we either want to celebrate or commemorate,” Paul said.
{snip}
Still, some experts said it was no coincidence Trump complained about the number of federal holidays on the day celebrating Black liberation.
Paul said he believes it was an appeal to Trump’s base.
“It’s unlikely that the fact that he chose to make the statement on Juneteenth was accidental,” Paul said. “I think he’s trying to send a message to the people who wish that Juneteenth had never been made a holiday, who are unhappy with the growing multicultural nature of our society … that he sees them and they have a place in America too. It’s sad but that’s where he is.”
The post Trump Used Juneteenth to Denounce ‘Nonworking Holidays.’ Some Political Observers Say It Wasn’t a Coincidence appeared first on American Renaissance.
American Renaissance
