Friday, June 12, 2020

Juneteenth in Tulsa?

There are many things in history that are glossed over or misstated, after all it is written by the victors.  Even in incidents where the victors have nothing to boast about.  We are currently seeking reactions to some memorials that commemorate people from history who are being viewed differently.

Whether you agree that Columbus mistreated native Americans in pursuit of wealth of if you celebrate his heroism for venturing on a hazardous ocean voyage is often a matter of perspective.  

One event that happened nearly 100 years ago in Tulsa Oklahoma had no victors but lots of victims.  The Greenwood massacre wiped out a black neighborhood called Black Wallstreet.  

The ostensible reason was an incident involving a black teenager and a white female elevator operator.   What actually happened is unclear, the young man was lynched, but it sparked one of the worst white riots ever experienced in this country.

While it was covered up for many years or misrepresented it is now well known.

What makes this relevant today is that in a period of significant unrest over racism, the 
President has decided to hold a rally there on Juneteenth, a date significant to the black community.  

Whole you may think the President is entitled to have a rally any where, and he is, but this looks like a slap in the face to black Americans.

Really?

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