Juneteenth, a day that celebrates the ending of slavery in the United States is now a national holiday. The move to make it one had wide bipartisan support, passing unanimously in the Senate. Republicans, Democrats, conservatives and liberals have hailed it as a day of unity for America. CNN, however, has other ideas. The network on Friday brought in Natasha Alford, a CNN analyst, to twist the moment into supporting:
- The teaching in public schools of Critical Race Theory and the principles of the 1619 Project.
- Reparations.
- HR 1, the so-called For the People Act, which would largely federalize elections.
Alford ended by counseling Americans to get into "good trouble" this summer. She gave two examples. First was Stacey Abrams' anodyne "Hot Call Summer," an unobjectionable program by which people call their senators to urge support for HR 1 and related laws. More controversial was her mention of the Rev. William Barber's "Moral Mondays," a series of Monday protests in which people enter and remain in state and county capitols in violation of law, which has led to hundreds of arrests and convictions.
Here’s some of Alford’s radical politicization:
But Juneteenth is elevated at a time when the truth is under attack in America. Lies about the so-called dangers of critical race theory have spurred legislation against teaching what is normally taught in law schools. The 1619 Project has grown-up politicians throw tantrums worse than the children who they don’t want reading it.
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Take for example overly strict voter ID laws, that discourage participation of the wrong kinds of voters. Or limiting early voting and absentee voting when people have jobs to go to, and families to take care of. Yes, racial discrimination in voting is illegal, but the effect of certain voting practices, discriminates.
Alford didn't specify what other kinds of "good trouble" she suggests people get into. Does she want people to become "more confrontational," as Maxine Waters has recommended?
When Alford finished her spiel, co-host John Berman gave it the CNN imprimatur, enthusing: "that was great!"
Note: Alford, trying to make the case that there is nothing controversial about the 1619 Project, which makes the creation of slavery the focal point of American history, oddly claimed that it is "normally taught in law schools." If Alford's right, things are even worse than imagined in academia!
A CNN analyst saying Juneteenth should be celebrated by supporting a variety of left-wing causes and getting into "good trouble" was sponsored in part by Lactaid, T-Mobile and Trivago.
Here's the transcript. Click "expand" to read more.
CNN
New Day
6/18/21
6:49 am EDTJOHN BERMAN: President Biden signed into law the legislation that establishes June 19th as Juneteenth National Independence Day, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Here with her take on the significance of all of this is Natasha Alford, CNN political analyst and VP of digital content and senior correspondent at The Grio. And Natasha, look. Undeniably a milestone, but I think you make the case not an end in and of itself.
NATASHA ALFORD: Absolutely. Juneteenth is a holiday about emancipation. The day was June 19th, 1865, when enslaved African-Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned they'd been legally free more than two years earlier. Many black Americans have celebrated that day for nearly 156 years, and now the rest of America joins us, with President Joe Biden officially signing Juneteenth into law as a federal holiday.
But Juneteenth is elevated at a time when the truth is under attack in America. Lies about the so-called dangers of critical race theory have spurred legislation against teaching what is normally taught in law schools. The 1619 Project has grown-up politicians throw tantrums worse than the children who they don’t want reading it. And a big lie about a president who lost an election he won’t let go of, had our Capitol in pure chaos, with criminals parading as patriots.
So naturally, the truth that Juneteenth represents, that America doesn’t always live up to its principles in real time, that’s a hard pill to swallow for some, but a necessary history lesson for all. Juneteenth reminds us of the perils of preaching we are a free and equal nation in theory, but not in practice.
Take for example overly strict voter ID laws, that discourage participation of the wrong kinds of voters. Or limiting early voting and absentee voting when people have jobs to go to, and families to take care of. Yes, racial discrimination in voting is illegal, but the effect of certain voting practices, discriminates.
Perhaps that’s why some black Americans are not impressed with taking Juneteenth mainstream. Instead of more symbolism and celebration, black people would rather have voting rights protected, reparation, equal wages, and police who treat them like equal citizens.
Remember how many American companies pledged $50 billion to black communities in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, but never actually followed through. We’re tired of bounced checks. However, if America wants to make good on its Juneteenth holiday, Americans will join ongoing attacks against democracy and fight against them.
Stacey Abrams has Hot Call Summer. Reverend William Barber has Moral Monday. There’s plenty of good trouble to get into. Because just like the African-Americans who got news of emancipation on June 19th, 1865, freedom delayed by even a second is freedom delayed too long.
BERMAN: Natasha Alford, that was great!
