Comments on: Celebrating Juneteeth: Were We Really Freed?

By: LemonNLime

LemonNLime — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 14:57:16 +0000

@Kirsten West Savali – “I agree with you — which is why not once did I say that it did.”

No offense but did you not write this: ““They knew nothing of President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which had become official January 1, 1863. So, for those 2 1/2 years, many of our ancestors continued to live in chains as celebrations of ‘freedom’ swirled around them.”

So, yes you did write that. Your statement directly implies that the Emancipation Proclamation granted them freedom and they weren’t able to enjoy it for 2.5 years. I would not have called out the statement as wrong if you had not written it.

By: LemonNLime

LemonNLime — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 14:54:16 +0000

“I agree with you — which is why not once did I say that it did.”

By: CurlySue

CurlySue — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 12:48:16 +0000

@Your Name: Please do not compare imprisoned and convicted criminals with those who were enslaved and brought here. They were guilty of no crime except being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And as for murders, it’s a fact that black men are killed by and large by other black men, not the big bad government.

@Jenn, I will grant that, yes. Human trafficking is a shameful and disgusting form of slavery.

By: Devra

Devra — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 21:06:51 +0000

Slave mentality is not the same as criminality. Don’t confuse the two.

By: Jenn

Jenn — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 20:04:27 +0000

….human-trafficking.

By: Your Name

Your Name — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 19:44:00 +0000

Yup. Cause when the government routinely imprisons and murders our sons and daughters, it is , after all, only a mirage, and they can ressurect (sp) and free themselves with their minds.

By: Alisha M.Gray

Alisha M.Gray — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 12:03:03 +0000

@ZenMamaPolitic We have much work to do in the Black Community, in deterring ourselves away from the self-hatred of internalized oppression; which often helps keep us away from celebrating a positive day in relation to our own cultural identity. As we have recently seen within the racially placated election of (technically) our First Black President; True freedom and equality is still guised behind color-blind racist tactics and rhetoric. This is a new age of declaring that we are not second-class citizens in our own country. And that one day..we will achieve True Freedom. True Freedom that has yet to be granted.

Agreed.

Great Article.

By: Kirsten West Savali

Kirsten West Savali — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 22:56:59 +0000

@LemonNLime: I agree with you — which is why not once did I say that it did. The point is, many slaves did not even realize that a fight for freedom — at least any freedom that had anything to do with them — had concluded. Clearly, even if the EP had truly freed them, it would have been another war trying to get them off the plantations. They saw the celebration for ‘Independence Day’ and figured their role in the scheme of things would always be slaves. Even the civil war was not about ‘slavery,’ it was about King Cotton, economics and politics. Lincoln didn’t give a damn about slaves. He didn’t touch the slaves that were in Union, why? Because he wanted their loyalty.

Debt peonage, Reconstruction, Jim/Jane Crow, War on Drugs, Prison Industrial Complex are all forms of slavery. There is no perpetuation of lies here.

By: Lady P

Lady P — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:02:17 +0000

@ LemonNLime

I signed back on to add my comment, but no need now. You’re on point.

Very well said!!!

By: Queen

Queen — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 19:28:31 +0000

+1000 Yesss! I totally agree with you!

By: Alexandra

Alexandra — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 18:45:15 +0000

“The majority of those criminals in jail ACTUALLY COMMITTED A CRIME”

Exactly. Everyone can make themselves aware of racial profiling, etc; but why must some people act as if there aren’t any actual Black people committing crimes? And it sickens me how some of these criminals get support from their ‘communities’ because the race excuse defends them.

Best comment I read all week

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 18:03:04 +0000

Thank You. Coming from another H.

By: H

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 17:52:38 +0000

I know that black people will crazily make excuses for criminals sometimes, but it is disrespectful to compare our ancestors’ experience of forced servitude to voluntary criminality.

There is a large number of black people in jail because black people commit crimes at disproportionate rates. Let’s not pretend like there is no crime problem in black neighborhoods. Let’s not pretend like the majority of those men were set up. The majority of those criminals in jail ACTUALLY COMMITTED A CRIME, and they deserve to be exactly where they are. I hope one day black people will understand that excusing criminal behavior, and making excuses for and coddling criminals is BAD. Glorifying their behavior is also bad. It is part of the reason why crime is high in black neighborhoods. The residents are much more likely to put up with it.

The history was nice, but I definitely will disagree about slavery still existing. Black people oppress themselves nowadays. In my opinion, it’s disrespectful and dishonest for black people nowadays to pretend like we face the same hardships as our ancestors. Some of you all like to pop up and do civil rights movement like protests for silly black idiots when they commit crimes sullying the memory of the movement and what is was for. Now some are saying criminals are like slaves. What next? Will Spike Lee be our 21st century MLK Jr.?

I’m so SICK of African Americans feeling sorry for themselves. It’s pathetic like we are little children that can’t do anything because mommy and daddy won’t let us. White people are not that darn powerful, and in 2012 institutional racism is not that bad. Getting your butt put in jail for committing a crime is not institutional racism. You know the law. Don’t break it! Was that hard to understand? My dad and grandfather are black and have never been to jail. Are they exceptional? No. They follow the freaking law!

By: malik hemmans

malik hemmans — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 17:32:13 +0000

a nation built by blacks for whites

By: Malcolm X

Malcolm X — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:54:43 +0000

Preach on with your bad self!!

Shalom

By: LemonNLime

LemonNLime — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:46:53 +0000

“They knew nothing of President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which had become official January 1, 1863. So, for those 2 1/2 years, many of our ancestors continued to live in chains as celebrations of ‘freedom’ swirled around them.”

President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation did NOT free the slaves and I wish we would stop perpetuating this lie. The Emancipation Proclamation only freed slaves in 10 Confederate territories which, considering they had separated from the Union, Lincoln had no legislative control over. It would be the equivalent of the USA declaring gay marriage illegal in Canada. Southern states that didn’t annex (Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland or Delaware) were allow keep their slaves.

“Slavery”, as we know it, was made illegal by the 13th amendment in December 1865. Even still it didn’t do away with debtors laws and indentured servitude which many below the Mason Dixon used to still keep many blacks enslaved.

By: CurlySue

CurlySue — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:46:16 +0000

The only slavery that exists in this country today is self-imposed mental slavery.

By: NoitAll

NoitAll — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:13:21 +0000

I know all I need to know because I grew up in the South.

By: Malcolm X

Malcolm X — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:08:01 +0000

@NoitALL:

Yeah, The South fought the civil war to preserve slavery. I just omitted that in my previous commentary. That`s why The southern states are the way they are today. They still prefer jim crow even today…just look at their laws and you`ll know all you need to know.

Shalom

By: NoitAll

NoitAll — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:00:16 +0000

Motives for fighting the Civil War are actually a bit more complicated and different for each side. Yes, the North fought the war to preserve the Union, originally. However, the South fought it to preserve slavery. It’s stated clearly in the articles of secession for each state.

And July 4th does have meaning for SOME Black people. July 4, 1827 is when slaves were freed in New York.

By: Malcolm X

Malcolm X — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 15:57:30 +0000

Brotha Malcolm was so right when he spoke on this topic. Freedom, equality and justice is something that every human being is born with by the laws of God. No man has the authority to withhold any of these from you nor is it his right to give. God ordained such before we came into existence.

Shalom

By: Malcolm X

Malcolm X — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 15:48:54 +0000

Yes, slavery is, indeed, alive and well. The notion that Lincoln freed us with The Emancipation Proclamation is a FALLACY. The civil war was fought to preserve the union…it had nothing to do with the idea of freeing slaves. People need to read and study the history of Lincoln because he was one of the biggest white supremist there was. And yeah, if you just want to have a day off from work and barbecue then go ahead…just realize that we, as blacks, have nothing to celebrate. That day is for America gaining independence from England, nothing more. We acknowledge these holidays as if we have something to celebrate and nothing could be farther from the truth. Just look at how we gather around the table at SO-CALLED Thanksgiving to eat turkey while subconsciously celebrating the pilgrims slaughter of our indigenious brothas and sistas. We really need to take time and research these holidays and learn their origin. You don`t have to have a special day to barbecue and eat turkey…there are 364 other days of the year at your disposal. America has always been for whites and it always will be.

Shalom

By: NoitAll

NoitAll — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 15:44:35 +0000

We will likely never be free, because most black people don’t know what freedom means. Anytime people thinks it’s OK for a parent to use choking as a form of discipline and don’t realize how much that resembles the way owners treated their slaves, well…

By: Jessica

Jessica — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:56:54 +0000

“Slavery, just like racism, is still alive and well.”

I completely agree.