Performance Art Politics
The Juneteenth Edition
So, the Senate has approved a bill to make Juneteenth a national holiday, and I’m once again underwhelmed by performance art politics. I’m even more underwhelmed by those celebrating this as some sort of victory and not the patronizing, cynical gesture it truly is.
For those who think this is cause for jubilation, please ask yourself this question:
What do you think would be more beneficial to the black community? Police reform, a jobs bill, affordable housing, economic justice, or more empty platitudes to distract from the fact they will get none of the former?
Can dubbing Juneteenth a holiday make systemic racism and all that entails go away? Of course not, and our legislators know this. They also know that most Americans have the attention span of a flea and the depth of a kiddie pool, so only surface optics matter.
We don’t demand that our lawmakers incorporate actionable legislation that produces results, so they don’t. They’ll just whip out the Kente cloth again and proclaim Juneteenth a national holiday. Everyone will cheer and return to watching football or the Kardashians or whatever bullshit scripted reality show the masses are glued to presently.
And, if you point this hypocrisy out, you’re an ingrate. Aren’t you Black Lives Matter types ever satisfied? You got a holiday! No, you don’t get healthcare, affordable housing, or a living wage. Do you think we’re made of money? How can we expect our job-creating (lol)billionaires to pay taxes just so you don’t have to shake the couch cushions for gas money? Bezos needs that 10 billion from the government for a vanity trip into space way more than you need insulin. Or a home. Why are you people so selfish?
Think, people, think.
What brings value to our friends in the black community and thereby society as a whole? I’m guessing empty platitudes deliberately devised to patronize and placate them are at the bottom of the list.
Now, should Juneteenth be a national holiday? Of course it should. That’s not even up for debate. But the gesture, and that’s all it is folks, rings hollow when so many black people face serious problems requiring real solutions. Even though it seems warm and fuzzy initially, it’s just more intentional systemic discrimination prettied up with meaningless window dressing. And that’s what needs to be addressed.
Bottom line? This latest example of identity politics gone wild does less than zero to help those it claims to honor. Which is American as apple pie, unfortunately. Just ask a veteran.
