Juneteenth Is Now A National Holiday—And Not Everyone Is Happy

The push to make Juneteenth a federal holiday received bipartisan support in Congress before finally being passed into law on Thursday by President Biden — and now some conservatives are steaming mad about it.

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June 19 has long commemorated the end of slavery, and making it federally recognized doesn’t seem like a major leap. It’s a day that has great historical significance, impacts the entire country, and celebrates a better version of America prevailing over a dark past.

“All Americans can feel the power of this day, and learn from our history,” Biden said during the official signing ceremony.

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Only 14 members of the House of Representatives voted against the measure — all Republicans. Even Donald Trump had promised to make Juneteenth a national holiday if re-elected.

Still, the decision has its opponents, basically all of whom land on the far right side of the political aisle.

Charlie Kirk has been among the most vocal opponents, insisting that Juneteenth isn’t about emancipation at all, though it’s unclear what exactly he thinks it’s about, other than…giving us another summer holiday?

Making Juneteenth a federal holiday isn’t about emancipation of slaves. If it was—they would make September 22nd, Emancipation Proclamation Day, a federal holiday

This is about replacing July 4th—just like the 1619 Project is about replacing 1776

Conservatives must reject this.

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 17, 2021

Lincoln knew America’s founding was July 4 1776. He knew that was the day our amazing nation made a step from “ideal” to reality

“Juneteenth” is an affront to the unity of July 4th. We now have 2 summer holidays—and one of them based on race

Shame on the GOP for supporting this

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 17, 2021

But he wasn’t alone in denouncing the holiday. 

Juneteenth is soooo lame.
Democrats really need to stop trying to repackage segregation.

I’ll be celebrating July 4th and July 4th only.

I’m American.

— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 17, 2021

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I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the 14 House Republicans that voted against making Juneteenth a holiday also support protecting confederate monuments.

— Kolleen (@littlewhitty) June 17, 2021

They are replacing our holidays, our monuments, our heroes, our history, our culture, our Constitution, our religion… they are replacing the population. They are DESTROYING our Civilization and replacing it with a third world shithole!

— Nicholas J. Fuentes (@NickJFuentes) June 18, 2021

Some folks, while not actually opposed to the holiday, did raise some good points about the dichotomy of Juneteenth becoming a national holiday in the midst of other things currently going on in America.

For clarification. Juneteenth is now a national holiday, but in several states, due to a deliberate misinterpretation of Critical Race Theory, teachers cannot teach students why they have this day off. Do I have this right?

— Joylyn Wright (@Jwny35) June 17, 2021

Okay it is believable, and not too surprising. But that doesn’t make it less awful. Symbolic gestures from one hand, while enabling U.S. companies to oppress and extract with the other is par for the course, and horrendous. Please organize to take power from these ghouls.

— Read Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (@JoshuaPotash) June 17, 2021

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Courts are closed tomorrow for Juneteenth. My incarcerated clients, all of whom are black men, will remain in jail to celebrate the emancipation of slaves. This is America.

— SCA (@scasca16) June 17, 2021

All of this comes out to the same conclusion — we still have a long way to go.

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*First Published: June 18, 2021, 6:37 am