Month: June 2020

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Juneteenth

As a Christian, I support making Juneteenth a national US holiday.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.  Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.

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2020 May Review – What is Going On?

Another month immersed in the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns … are they necessary, are the economic impacts worse? Is social isolation having a negative impact on the mental health of humanity? Does anyone know? 

This month ends with the senseless murder of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, by a white police officer in Minneapolis – the country cries out for justice with peaceful protests that escalate into violent protests that result in another senseless murder of a black law enforcement officer, Patrick Underwood, in Oakland, CA.  A black firefighter, Korboi Balla, spent his life savings building a new sports bar in Minneapolis; it was set to open in March, but Covid-19 delayed the opening until June, but a few days ago, rioters destroyed it.  News headlines announce that George Floyd protests also erupt in Berlin, London, and Toronto.

Nike, whose motto has long been, ‘Just Do It’, has been trying a new slogan for the last few days, after some of their stores have been targeted: ‘For Once, Don’t Do It.’ 

This month has been, for me, a reflection on what it means to be a Christian.

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