U.S. Congress votes to make Juneteenth, end of slavery, a federal holiday

so to celebrate the end of slavery, federal employees are given yet another paid day off?

wonderful. this costs like 600 million dollars and does nothing for the working class.

Great news for unnecessarily divided nation.

What is puzzling is the writer(s)’ use of the word: ‘fete”.

This should be another “Memorial Day”, a day of reflection and education for a more promising future for all citizens.

Nice to see some bipartisanship.

yeah they voted themselves and their friends a paid day off.

yeah great day! for federal employees only.

anyone else benefit or they just go to work as usual?

of people buying more beer, burgers, etc., to celebrate a holiday.

Juneteenth was at best a very locally recognized day until very recently. Nobody know or cared about it until bout 15 minutes ago. If you want to truly celebrate the end of slavery, how about celebrating the day the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution was passed? You know, the one that actually legally ended slavery.

I sense a political agenda here that has very little to do with history and a lot to do with keeping the racial pot stirred. As Nancy Pelosi said, it is to remind us of a history stained by brutality and injustice..... how about reminding us of a history where half a million men gave their lives to free the slaves? The nobility of their cause and deeds?

yeah great day! for federal employees only.

anyone else benefit or they just go to work as usual?

Hopefully, employers will recognise it as a day for their employees to have off, too. They might not, though. Like every other Federal Holiday.

Unless you're opposed to the idea of Federal Holidays at all? Not like a Republican to say they want to get rid of Veteran's Day and Columbus Day, but fair enough.

Juneteenth was at best a very locally recognized day until very recently. Nobody know or cared about it until bout 15 minutes ago. If you want to truly celebrate the end of slavery, how about celebrating the day the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution was passed? You know, the one that actually legally ended slavery.

Because it was Juneteenth when it was finally enforced in Texas, marking not just the de jure end of slavery, but the de facto end of slavery in the US (subject to not being imprisoned, of course).

how about reminding us of a history where half a million men gave their lives to free the slaves? The nobility of their cause and deeds?

Memorial Day already exists.

Absolutely stupid. Makes zero sense whatsoever.

Oh boy. Another Republican

Not a Republican, I’m a conservative.

who doesn't want people to be happy that slavery doesn't exist any more. What a shame. 

It’s not about being happy or unhappy, just think what’s the significance?

A pattern appears to be emerging between those who don't want to celebrate the end of one of the greatest horrors in American history,

There have been may horrors in the world done to a lot of people, not just the black community.

those who want to do away with Veterans' Day, those who don't know about Memorial Day, and those who venerate the treasonous Confederacy. They all seem to be Republicans. Weird.

Not really, but anyway, if the left thinks this is appropriate.

Not a Republican, I’m a conservative.

Uh-huh.

It’s not about being happy or unhappy, just think what’s the significance?

I'm sorry you think we shouldn't learn about our own history. I think that's sad.

There have been may horrors in the world done to a lot of people, not just the black community.

US slavery was a horror visited only on African Americans. The end of this monstrous system is what Juneteenth celebrates.

Not really, but anyway, if the left thinks this is appropriate.

I don't think it's appropriate to celebrate the Confederacy and its mulch of traitors. I think flying the Confederate flag is a disgrace, and marks you out as disloyal to the US. But I don't do either. Republicans do.

Except if you vote for a Republican in an election you are also a Republican.

Not true. Just because I vote Republican doesn’t make me a Republican, I can be whatever I want, I can align myself with whomever I wish to, I don’t like Republicans for the most part and I would never be one and I have that right as a taxpayer to choose and find myself that’s how I feel.

Under these conditions, you must want to abolish Veterans' Day and Memorial Day. I think that's bad. But you do you.

No, never and because Americans of all races and color and religion fought for this nation as a collective. And I’ll say it again, if state votes for this holiday, more power to them, I just don’t understand the significance of it, but each state can do what it wants

anyone voting for a Republican is a supporter even if they are not a member of the party. Millions of Democrats are not party members.

"The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to create a federal holiday commemorating Juneteenth, which until now has been the unofficial fete marking the end of slavery in the United States. The measure cleared the Senate by unanimous consent Tuesday after a Republican in the chamber ended his objection. With the House passing it in a 415-14 vote."

Well, sorry, that’s not how it works, I don’t care what a piece of paper says, I vote Republican, because we only have a two party system, but I don’t think I wouldn’t pass any of their tests as a Republican, I’m not pure enough to be Republican, and I don’t want to be a Republican and I also don’t believe in the establishment in the way it’s structured right now, so I’m not a Republican by any stretch of the meaning

Absolutely stupid. Makes zero sense whatsoever.

Well, your team signed it too. Fortunately politics isn’t like sports and only there small minded blindly support their ‘team’ in politics. It’s about the result, not the game.

Well, your team signed it too. Fortunately politics isn’t like sports and only there small minded blindly support their ‘team’ in politics. It’s about the result, not the game.

That is very true, and that is the reason why I don’t like any of these Republicans or at least the majority of them as establishment written, slimy and backstabbing as they are, I want them replaced and next year seems like a good start

I hope we can keep Christopher Columbus Day.

His explorations freed millions of slaves in central and South America.