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CNN: With Roe in jeopardy, America faces a rare moment when a court revokes a right

Vox: Juneteenth isn’t just a celebration of freedom, it’s a monument to America’s failures

Trending On The Right

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US: Juneteenth Interest Wanes as Day Off Remains Elusive to Most Americans (Newsweek)

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President Joe Biden signing the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, June 17, 2021
Today is a federal holiday in observance of Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slavery in America. It was 157 years ago on June 19, 1865 when Union Army General Gordon Granger read out General Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas, proclaiming all enslaved people free.
 

News Coverage from the Right: Vernon Jones on Juneteenth: Remember Democrats ‘Wanted Slavery,’ Republicans ‘Died to Free’ Them (Breitbart)

News Coverage from the Left: Juneteenth celebrations emphasize ending racial disparities (AP)

From The Flag: Last year President Joe Biden signed Juneteenth's status as a federal holiday into law. Here’s more from both sides on the day itself, what it symbolizes, and the state of race relations in America.

• America’s capacity to improve and grow is an underlying theme of Juneteenth, and something we can all unite behind.
• Fewer than four in ten Black children grow up with two parents living together under the same roof, which lags behind other groups.
• Juneteenth is a celebration of American democracy being born, similar to how July 4th marks the Declaration of Independence.

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“Juneteenth is meant to unite us, just like the Fourth of July” Opal Lee and DeForest "Buster" Soaries, Washington Post Op-ed: “Juneteenth is more than a holiday. It is not just a commemoration of the end of slavery. It is a day that celebrates America’s incredible capacity to self-correct by applying the timeless principles at our country’s core. Yet as we prepare to mark Juneteenth’s second year as a federal holiday, we have to ask: Will we let this celebration fall prey to the division and distraction that are tearing America down? … Juneteenth is at risk of failing to be a source of unity. In these partisan times, there is a tendency to ignore or politicize it. There is also a danger of commercialization — think corporate attempts to trademark the word 'Juneteenth' — which would cheapen this celebration of justice. Regardless of color, creed or country of origin, all Americans should oppose these trends, with all the urgency we can muster.”

“This Juneteenth, reflect on the importance of the Black family” Chris A. Matthews, The Star-Ledger Op-ed: “Some 156 years after the final enslaved people in Texas were freed, Black Americans still struggle on many social, economic, and health fronts compared to other racial groups in our country. The issues Black people face continue to polarize our greatest asset, The Black Family. Based on the 2020 census data, ‘only two-fifths (37.9%) of all Black children under 18 years old live with two married parents.’ The next highest racial group in this category are Hispanic children, with 70% under 18 living with two married parents, followed by white children at 76%, and leading this statistic are Asian children, of which 87% are living with two married parents. As a marriage and family therapist specializing in counseling couples, I was attracted to this profession for this very reason… Once we learn to love ourselves, we can love our intimate partners and work with them as spouses to raise loving children.”

One more opinion piece from the Left: Juneteenth, as much as the Fourth of July, is America's true birthday Peniel E. Joseph, CNN Opinion

• It's popular to try and "cancel" American history but Juneteenth celebrates it, even though it's complicated and messy.
• Recognizing Juneteenth is not offensive on its face, but there was a mindless acceptance of it as a holiday amid the George Floyd riots.
• Juneteenth is a reminder of all that can be accomplished in this country through hard work, perseverance, and determination.

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“Why Juneteenth is as important as the Fourth of July” David Kaufman, New York Post Opinion: “Right now there is a movement among much of the progressive left to ‘cancel’ our history. … In the face of all this erasure, Juneteenth actually embraces our ugly past and gives all Americans a reason to be proud. … Juneteenth celebrates America at a time when celebrating being American has become a progressive minefield. … Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson — men who literally forged a nation — have been recast as little more than slave owners. Even slavery itself has been coopted and politicized by dubious scholarship to position it as the raison d’etre for America’s very establishment and existence. The American flag has also taken a beating, with some saying it has come to represent conservative politics more than our country as a whole. … But Juneteenth, with its championing of American history rather than the simple cancellation of it, could help change this. … (it’s) proof that America can make a right out of a historical wrong — even as there still remains work to do.”

“Juneteenth, Democracy, and Managed Dissent” Christopher Roach, American Greatness: “Politics is now a ‘top down’ affair. Permanent incumbents in both parties … along with business, media, and academic elites, now constitute a true ruling class with a common worldview. … A good example is Juneteenth. … Recognizing Juneteenth is not offensive in the abstract. The end of slavery was a good thing, both for slaves and the rest of Americans alike. But making this particular celebration a national holiday 155 years after the end of slavery practically came out of nowhere. During the George Floyd brouhaha, suddenly every corporation in America pretended as if Juneteenth was a longstanding American tradition. … Congress made Juneteenth a federal holiday in the blink of an eye… This contrasts with the move 40 years ago to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., for which activists labored for a number of years to persuade the public to establish a national holiday in his honor.”

One more opinion piece from the Right: What Juneteenth Means to Me Lawrence Jones, The Wrap Op-ed

More people are aware of Juneteenth's significance now when compared to this time last year. In May 2021 under 40% of Americans were familiar with the holiday, while closer to 60% now say they know "a lot" or "some" about Juneteenth. Over six in ten say "yes" when asked if it should be taught in schools (Gallup).

In separate polling conducted earlier this month, 62% said they either "strongly" or "somewhat" support Juneteenth being added to school curriculums. Asked when they learned about Juneteenth, 31% said either this year or last, while 34% of respondents say prior to 2020 (YouGov).

Flag Poll: Were you aware of Juneteenth's significance prior to it becoming a federal holiday? Click here to share your thoughts.

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On June 20, 1782, Congress adopts the Great Seal of the United States following six years of discussion. Above are the front (left) and reverse (right) sides of the seal.

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Today I Learned the Samurai were not only trained how to kill, but how to do it aesthetically. They considered killing to be an art form of the highest aesthetics which required for self perfection.