Tue Jun 19, 2012, 03:00 PM

Today is Juneteenth. Should it be a national holiday?

Today is Emancipation Day, the day slavery was ended in the US. It is a recognized holiday in some states, but not all. Some would hold that each state is free to observe a holiday, or not. I guess I can see that with events or people that are not national.

Emancipation was a national event. As such, it seems to me, the notion of a holiday is a national, not local or state, matter.

So . . . . . Do you think today ought to be a national holiday? Why or why not?

For me, this day seems as important as the 4th of July. It seems more important than the celebration of some men's birthdays. Our country came to be on the 4th of July. A number of our citizens came to be citizens, able to participate, finally, after generations of slavery, on this day. Is that not the second most important holiday we can observe?

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18 replies	Author	Time	Post
Today is Juneteenth. Should it be a national holiday? (Original post)	Stinky The Clown	Jun 2012	OP
Why not?	dogman	Jun 2012	#1
No	JustAnotherGen	Jun 2012	#2
+5	Liberal_in_LA	Jun 2012	#12
I have to say I heard of it before but now I know what it means. I am surprised that it isn't	southernyankeebelle	Jun 2012	#3
I was raised in Connecticut. We learned about it in school. The day was observed.	Stinky The Clown	Jun 2012	#13
Well you come from the Northeast. That says alot, your state is advanced.	southernyankeebelle	Jun 2012	#14
yes.	HiPointDem	Jun 2012	#4
Yes	WilliamPitt	Jun 2012	#5
Yes.	annabanana	Jun 2012	#6
How is that not a holiday already?	limpyhobbler	Jun 2012	#7
Yes!	intheflow	Jun 2012	#8
Yes. At the very least, more people should know what it is	petronius	Jun 2012	#9
Yes, Sir, It ought To Be	The Magistrate	Jun 2012	#10
Hell yeah!	daaron	Jun 2012	#11
Not just yes, but hell yes!	Zalatix	Jun 2012	#15
yes but the south might not go along.	hrmjustin	Jun 2012	#16
oh, yeah....	Blue_Tires	Jun 2012	#17
Well, June is in serious need of a holiday...	Ter	Jun 2012	#18

Response to Stinky The Clown (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2012, 03:09 PM

dogman (4,468 posts)

1. Why not?

The problem that I see is what does National Holiday mean? Who observes these days now that there is no middle class to enjoy them? My Union gave up Veteran's Day many years ago. No one wanted an unpaid day off and there were few Veterans to care. An individual could still honor the day by not working, but this is hardly the environment to demand your rights. Most big box stores are open 364 days a year.

Today is Juneteenth. Should it be a national holiday?

1. Why not?

2. No

12. +5

3. I have to say I heard of it before but now I know what it means. I am surprised that it isn't

13. I was raised in Connecticut. We learned about it in school. The day was observed.

14. Well you come from the Northeast. That says alot, your state is advanced.

4. yes.

5. Yes

6. Yes.

7. How is that not a holiday already?

8. Yes!

9. Yes. At the very least, more people should know what it is

10. Yes, Sir, It ought To Be

11. Hell yeah!

15. Not just yes, but hell yes!

16. yes but the south might not go along.

17. oh, yeah....

18. Well, June is in serious need of a holiday...