There is no such thing as a woke 60-year-old white man . . .

[Rockfish1]

And I say this as a 60-year-old white man. But I've given myself the afternoon off on Juneteenth -- a holiday that I must admit I didn't even know about until the current controversy began. (On my Twitter feed Bomani Jones says I shouldn't feel bad about that.) Now there are bipartisan calls to make Juneteenth a national holiday. It's possible that, within a matter of months, Juneteenth may go from a thing I'd never heard of to a national holiday.

It seems to me that there's something going on right now. And I like it. I don't know what it's appropriate to say or do on Juneteenth, but I'm going to have a happy one, watching woke people out in the streets.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

And I say this as a 60-year-old white man. But I've given myself the afternoon off on Juneteenth -- a holiday that I must admit I didn't even know about until the current controversy began. (On my Twitter feed Bomani Jones says I shouldn't feel bad about that.) Now there are bipartisan calls to make Juneteenth a national holiday. It's possible that, within a matter of months, Juneteenth may go from a thing I'd never heard of to a national holiday.

It seems to me that there's something going on right now. And I like it. I don't know what it's appropriate to say or do on Juneteenth, but I'm going to have a happy one, watching woke people out in the streets.

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It is a good thing I am only 59 3/4s .

 

[IUCrazy2]

And I say this as a 60-year-old white man. But I've given myself the afternoon off on Juneteenth -- a holiday that I must admit I didn't even know about until the current controversy began. (On my Twitter feed Bomani Jones says I shouldn't feel bad about that.) Now there are bipartisan calls to make Juneteenth a national holiday. It's possible that, within a matter of months, Juneteenth may go from a thing I'd never heard of to a national holiday.

It seems to me that there's something going on right now. And I like it. I don't know what it's appropriate to say or do on Juneteenth, but I'm going to have a happy one, watching woke people out in the streets.

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I like the idea of the Holiday...can we call it something like Emancipation Day or something like that? "Juneteenth" just bothers the grammar police in me..

 

[Neves]

I like the idea of the Holiday...can we call it something like Emancipation Day or something like that? "Juneteenth" just bothers the grammar police in me..

Please no. I hadn't heard of Juneteenth either until I met my husband 10 years ago. He said his family and church had celebrated it every year since he can remember. White people changing the name after finally learning about it would be the worst thing to do.

 

[UncleMark]

And I say this as a 60-year-old white man. But I've given myself the afternoon off on Juneteenth -- a holiday that I must admit I didn't even know about until the current controversy began.

I knew what it was, in a general sense. Knew it marked the date that black folks celebrated the end of slavery, and that it was tied to the Emancipation Proclamation. Although my black coworker had to fill me in on the details, of it marking the day when the last Confederate area (Texas) was liberated by the Union Army and the EP was read to the gathered slaves. If asked the date for Junteenth I could have said June something (duh); but if someone had asked me the significance of the date June 19th I couldn't have told them.

So maybe I'm half woke. My wife says I act like that a lot.

 

[iuwclurker]

And I say this as a 60-year-old white man. But I've given myself the afternoon off on Juneteenth -- a holiday that I must admit I didn't even know about until the current controversy began. (On my Twitter feed Bomani Jones says I shouldn't feel bad about that.) Now there are bipartisan calls to make Juneteenth a national holiday. It's possible that, within a matter of months, Juneteenth may go from a thing I'd never heard of to a national holiday.

It seems to me that there's something going on right now. And I like it. I don't know what it's appropriate to say or do on Juneteenth, but I'm going to have a happy one, watching woke people out in the streets.

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Turn on AMC.

 

[Rockfish1]

Turn on AMC.

Hip Hop: The Songs that Shook America?

 

[Harry Hondo]

Please no. I hadn't heard of Juneteenth either until I met my husband 10 years ago. He said his family and church had celebrated it every year since he can remember. White people changing the name after finally learning about it would be the worst thing to do.

And you know if it becomes a national holiday it will need to change to a Monday to give us all a three day weekend. It’ll be the third Monday in June or the day after Father’s Day.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

Please no. I hadn't heard of Juneteenth either until I met my husband 10 years ago. He said his family and church had celebrated it every year since he can remember. White people changing the name after finally learning about it would be the worst thing to do.

I had a friend email me today "from one history buff to another" asking why Juneteenth is a big deal as the date the Union occupied Texas is rather obscure. He though it made more sense to celebrate Sept 22 for the date the Emancipation Proclamation was released, or December 6 for the passing of the 13th Amendment. I said it was simple, we are white and don't deserve a vote on when Blacks want to celebrate the end of slavery. There is something about us unwoke old white guys that desperately wants to tell others how to run their lives.

 

[Sope Creek]

I like the idea of the Holiday...can we call it something like Emancipation Day or something like that? "Juneteenth" just bothers the grammar police in me..

I like Juneteenth as a name . . . it's at least as American as baseball and jazz . . and celebrating the end of slavery in the US is a worthy celebration for pretty much everybody . . .

. . . what I'd like to know is how are we going to handle another holiday during this time of year . . . we already have Memorial Day and July 4 . . . that's a stretch of 3 national holidays in 5 weeks . . . why not just take off the entire month of June, like Europeans do during the summer . . .

. . . will we just add a holiday, or will we look to exchange Juneteenth for another national holiday? I'd guess Christmas, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day are pretty well entrenched . . . would we entertain giving up Flag Day (initiated as a commemoration of the end of WWI), President's Day or MLK Day to accommodate the new national holiday?

Finally, how will African-Americans take to the notion that "their" holiday is now celebrated by the broader society? Will there be resentment akin to the cultural appropriation complaints we hear on occasion?

 

[iuwclurker]

Hip Hop: The Songs that Shook America?

Yup. Your question harmonizes with your unawareness of Juneteenth.

 

[Rockfish1]

Finally, how will African-Americans take to the notion that "their" holiday is now celebrated by the broader society? Will there be resentment akin to the cultural appropriation complaints we hear on occasion?

This is an interesting question. Again, I'm pleased by what looks like a rush to make Juneteenth a holiday, because I see it as a signifier of rapidly changing times, but a hasty ham-handed implementation might also have comedic possibilities.

 

[Rockfish1]

Yup. Your question harmonizes with your unawareness of Nineteenth.

You told me to turn on AMC right now, so I did. I was asking you to confirm this is what you wanted me to see. That's what I'm aware of. What is this telling me that I'm missing?

 

[BrickShooter]

If I didn't live somewhere that instead celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day, I would offer up Columbus Day. But as far as swapping out an official federal holiday, Columbus Day is a no brainer.

 

[Univee2]

If I didn't live somewhere that instead celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day, I would offer up Columbus Day. But as far as swapping out an official federal holiday, Columbus Day is a no brainer.

"No."

Signed, Governor Cuomo.

 

[iuwclurker]

You told me to turn on AMC right now, so I did. I was asking you to confirm this is what you wanted me to see. That's what I'm aware of. What is this telling me that I'm missing?

I see. You said you weren’t sure what’s appropriate to do today so I suggested you turn it on because it speaks completely to and about Juneteenth.

 

[ulrey]

Bomani is the biggest racist in the media close second is Mr Lemon..

 

[IUCrazy2]

Please no. I hadn't heard of Juneteenth either until I met my husband 10 years ago. He said his family and church had celebrated it every year since he can remember. White people changing the name after finally learning about it would be the worst thing to do.

I have known about it for sometime too. Probably going back about 10 to 12 years or so.

You may be right, the phraseology is just like nails on a chalkboard to me though.

 

[IUCrazy2]

I like Juneteenth as a name . . . it's at least as American as baseball and jazz . . and celebrating the end of slavery in the US is a worthy celebration for pretty much everybody . . .

. . . what I'd like to know is how are we going to handle another holiday during this time of year . . . we already have Memorial Day and July 4 . . . that's a stretch of 3 national holidays in 5 weeks . . . why not just take off the entire month of June, like Europeans do during the summer . . .

. . . will we just add a holiday, or will we look to exchange Juneteenth for another national holiday? I'd guess Christmas, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day are pretty well entrenched . . . would we entertain giving up Flag Day (initiated as a commemoration of the end of WWI), President's Day or MLK Day to accommodate the new national holiday?

Finally, how will African-Americans take to the notion that "their" holiday is now celebrated by the broader society? Will there be resentment akin to the cultural appropriation complaints we hear on occasion?

Columbus Day is a federal holiday. It is most likely to hit the chopping block if we have to replace one IMO.

Edit: blynn beat me to it.

 

[Rockfish1]

I see. You said you weren’t sure what’s appropriate to do today so I suggested you turn it on because it speaks completely to and about Juneteenth.

Well, thanks ever so much for that. I always appreciate your guidance.

 

[mashnut]

I have known about it for sometime too. Probably going back about 10 to 12 years or so.

You may be right, the phraseology is just like nails on a chalkboard to me though.

There is plenty of phraseology that people of color have said not only irritate them, but do actual harm. That's called political correctness or social justice bullshit. When a name chosen by black people for a holiday important to black people is mildly irritating though, then we should consider the phraseology eh?

 

[iuwclurker]

Well, thanks ever so much for that. I always appreciate your guidance.

Sorry. My suggestion was humbly and minimalistically trying to contribute in the spirit of your original post.

 

[IUCrazy2]

There is plenty of phraseology that people of color have said not only irritate them, but do actual harm. That's called political correctness or social justice bullshit. When a name chosen by black people for a holiday important to black people is mildly irritating though, then we should consider the phraseology eh?

You are looking for something to get offended about. Look elsewhere.

 

[Rockfish1]

Sorry. My suggestion was humbly and minimalistically trying to contribute in the spirit of your original post.

Well, I apologize if my quietly snarky point was overmade. But I actually changed the channel in response to your post -- away from watching peaceful diverse demonstrators flowing into the streets. That's how I knew what was showing on AMC. But what's most edifying to me about what's happening right now is what's actually happening right now.

 

[Rockfish1]

Bomani is the biggest racist in the media close second is Mr Lemon..

And a happy Juneteenth to you too, dipshit.

 

[Rockfish1]

 

[zeke4ahs]

And I say this as a 60-year-old white man. But I've given myself the afternoon off on Juneteenth -- a holiday that I must admit I didn't even know about until the current controversy began. (On my Twitter feed Bomani Jones says I shouldn't feel bad about that.) Now there are bipartisan calls to make Juneteenth a national holiday. It's possible that, within a matter of months, Juneteenth may go from a thing I'd never heard of to a national holiday.

It seems to me that there's something going on right now. And I like it. I don't know what it's appropriate to say or do on Juneteenth, but I'm going to have a happy one, watching woke people out in the streets.

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I’ve known about Juneteenth for a couple of years, but I did not know about Tulsa and black Wall Street. I hope publishing companies are working on revising history books as we speak.

 

[VanPastorMan]

It is a good thing I am only 59 3/4s .

I thought you guys were a lot older than that. lol

 

[VanPastorMan]

I’ve known about Juneteenth for a couple of years, but I did not know about Tulsa and black Wall Street. I hope publishing companies are working on revising history books as we speak.

And you never told us about it. Keeping it to yourself. Way to go.

 

[Cream&Crimson]

It is a good thing I am only 59 3/4s .

We are almost exactly the same age

And I'm happy to say I'm learning a lot in the course of this movement. I knew about Juneteenth and what it represented, but didn't know the date and can't say I've ever been very aware when it passed in years prior. I'm happy to observe it now, and fully support it becoming a national holiday. I can't think of a more worthy date to recognize in our nation's history beyond perhaps July 4.

 

[CO. Hoosier]

I’ve known about Juneteenth for a couple of years, but I did not know about Tulsa and black Wall Street. I hope publishing companies are working on revising history books as we speak.

I learned about Juneteenth 10+ years ago. There was a street festival I stumbled into not knowing what it was until I talked to people.

If by Tulsa you mean the race riots, we had a thread about that here back when Buzz was active.

 

[Noodle]

Our firm had a paid holiday today. No doubt it’s a permanent thing. Next week we are having an internal program featuring Jim Obergefell.

 

[Hoopsdoc1978]

A holiday? To mark an extremely worthy milestone?

Sign me up.

 

[Cream&Crimson]

Our firm had a paid holiday today. No doubt it’s a permanent thing. Next week we are having an internal program featuring Jim Obergefell.

Non-related to this thread I suppose, but it just came to mind as I was reading this - my company announced today an additional upcoming holiday for July 2 (July 4 being on a Saturday, the 3rd was the recognized holiday this year). They said they appreciated everyone's efforts lately in light of the corona challenges, and wanted to offer a tangible response to all in hopes that we all, first of all, take a much-needed additional day to relax and recharge after a challenging few months. But that we also take time to reflect on that day on the events of the past month or so and consider how we each fit into the needed solutions we strive toward as we move forward. I thought it was a great gesture and I'm happy to have a 4-day weekend coming up.

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

We are almost exactly the same age

And I'm happy to say I'm learning a lot in the course of this movement. I knew about Juneteenth and what it represented, but didn't know the date and can't say I've ever been very aware when it passed in years prior. I'm happy to observe it now, and fully support it becoming a national holiday. I can't think of a more worthy date to recognize in our nation's history beyond perhaps July 4.

I think a lot of us were both aware and unaware that it was a thing. Prior to this year, if you asked me what the date of Juneteenth was, I could have told you. But if you asked me why June 19 was significant, I would have drawn a blank. Now, even my computer is reminding me what today is. The calendar on my phone, however, appears to be sadly unwoke.