July 4 – A Day of Mourning

 Posted by at 10:55 am  Holiday, Politics
Jul 042020
 

4th of July 2017

This article is a repeat of last year’s, with changes.

Traditionally I have celebrated Independence Day with excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, videos of the local fireworks display, and lessons on the differences between true patriotism and nationalism.  However, then the US was an independent nation. 

Now it is under foreign domination. The Republican plague, Trump* virus is sweeping the nation and killing hundreds of thousands of Americans.  Trump* makes it worse with his super-spreader campaign events at taxpayer expense.  Racist Republican police are murdering Blacks with ever increasing frequency, while Bought Bitch Midnight Moscow Mitch and Senate Republicans prevent meaningful reform.  Trump* and his Republican Reich are spouting racist screeds and promoting White Supremacy like never before.

I’m sorry, but as long as Donald Trump*, Putin’s Puppet, and his Republican Reich stay in power, the 4th of July will be a day of mourning.

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Celebrate Juneteenth!

 Posted by at 11:34 am  Holiday, Politics
Jun 192020
 

One hundred fifty five years ago today Union soldiers brought slavery to an end in Texas, two and a half years after it should have ended.  Therefore June 19th, aka Juneteenth, has become a Black holiday that we should all celebrate.  Now that slavery has ended, are Black people truly free?

0619Juneteenth

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.

Later attempts to explain this two and a half year delay in the receipt of this important news have yielded several versions that have been handed down through the years. Often told is the story of a messenger who was murdered on his way to Texas with the news of freedom. Another is that the news was deliberately withheld by the enslavers to maintain the labor force on the plantations. And still another is that federal troops actually waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. All of which, or none of these versions could be true. Certainly, for some, President Lincoln’s authority over the rebellious states was in question.  Whatever the reasons, conditions in Texas remained status quo well beyond what was statutory… [emphasis original]

Inserted from <Juneteenth.com>

The site referenced above is completely dedicated to Juneteenth and is a treasure trove of information on that subject.  I hope you will invest the time to explore it thoroughly.

Juneteenth, explained

Criminal Fuhrer Trump* and the Republican Reich would return to slavery, racist violence and even lynching, if they could. The best they can do, for now, is the murder of Blacks by racist Republican Police and other Republican terrorists. Juneteenth must remind us that we are all responsible for achieving Black freedom.

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Memorial Day – 2020

 Posted by at 9:34 am  Holiday, Politics
May 252020
 

Memorial Day

This is almost identical to last the last three years’ Memorial Day articles, with additions.  I did not see how I could express my position more clearly. You may ask why I, as one who opposes war almost by definition, would want to celebrate the day in which we honor those military service people, who have given their lives in service to America.  From my earliest days as an antiwar activist opposing the war in Vietnam, I have believed that it is as important to honor the warriors, as it is to oppose the wars. They took an oath to obey and honored it.  They had nothing to do with the decisions.  I have no doubt that, if those who died in our Revolutionary War, for example, can look at today’s Republican wars for hate and greed, they are shedding tears over the senseless waste of life, but honoring their comrades as they fall. Now, unlike Veterans day, Memorial Day is not intended as celebration of those who served and survived.  Nevertheless, to all veterans who read this, thank you for your service.  I thank God that you are not among those whom we honor today. Finally, if you are in the service now,  I consider your lives far too precious to spend defending criminal Fuhrer Trump’s* personal profit or Russia’s national interest.  Even now Trump* is attacking Americans with his virus as part of his War on America.  Will he celebrate his 100,000th fatality today?  I urge you all to take care to preserve your lives and those of your comrades.

And now, a special message from a very special person!



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