Juneteenth and World Refugee Day

Yesterday and today are two lesser known or acknowledged days of remembrance of oppressed and displaced people.  As with all such days of recognition, it is vital to learn from the past to do better in the future.  As faithful Christians of good-will, we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves, both by not repeating the sins of the past and seeking better ways of respecting human dignity now and in the future.

Yesterday marked the 153rd anniversary of “Juneteenth,” which commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the state of Texas.  Although the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863, many slaves did not know about it or lived in States that ignored the directive.  Similarly, although the Civil War official ended in May of 1865, it took over a month for the news to spread to the far reaches of the United States, like Texas, hence on June 19th, those persons who were enslaved learned they were legally free, two and a half years after the official announcement.

The celebration of Juneteenth is bitter sweet.  While it signifies the end of the sin of slavery, it also reminds us that the system that created slavery did not change much even if the laws changed.  And some of the laws that were changed created an extremely biased and discriminatory system that prevented black and brown people from thriving.

However, the importance of Juneteenth is not the history lesson but the urgent need to insure all people have access to information and knowledge that effects their being AND live in a system that is just for all people, not just a privileged few.  Unfortunately, there are still many parts of our educational and judicial systems that are not just for all. Juneteenth reminds us that it is incumbent on us to seek a more perfect union.

Even though our union isn’t perfect, it is still better than many places in the world torn apart by political unrest, war, famine, and natural disaster.  June 20th is World Refugee Day.  According to Refugees International, almost 70 million people are displaced in the world – that is 1 out of every 100 human beings!  The reasons for this are complex and even overwhelming, but that does not mean we should ignore the issue or not respond with compassion. 

There are millions of people that live in refugee camps because there is no where else for them to go.  Their homes and livelihoods are destroyed due to ethnic cleansing, military rule, and even in the name of religion.  If we truly believe that God loves us and says we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, we should offer our time and resources to these most vulnerable neighbors, while supporting systems that would allow these people the freedom and ability to return home and rebuild their lives. 

As Americans, we should learn from our past mistakes to help create a better future.  We see what unjust laws did to thousands (if not millions) of freed slaves, which still effects our society today.  We are witnessing similar systems in other countries, and while they are free to do so, we should be willing to hold those responsible accountable through diplomatic and economic means, while supporting those adversely effected by such injustice, even tyranny.

Yes, we should absolutely offer prayer, but we should also be Christ’s presence in the world, doing this important work of loving our neighbor as ourselves, in word and deed. 

In Christ,
Rev. Valerie+

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