Tulsa, Juneteenth

Written by

Ophelia Benson

in

There’s much buzz about Trump’s oh so tactful selection of Tulsa, famous for a race riot, and Juneteenth, famous for the end of slavery, as the place and time for his first rally in months.

The selection of Tulsa as the place where Trump returns to the stump and the date on which he is choosing to do it both suggest that Trump’s long-whispered-about race speech — in the wake of ongoing protests and unrest following the death of George Floyd — will happen next Friday, and at a campaign rally no less.

A “race speech” by Trump. Dear god. It makes me want to solder my ears shut.

Tulsa was the site of one of the most vicious acts of racial violence in American history when, in 1921, a mob of white people attacked a section of the city known as Greenwood or “Black Wall Street” and murdered hundreds of African Americans…And June 19, which has become commonly known and celebrated as Juneteenth, or Emancipation Day, commemorates the anniversary of the reading of the General Orders, No. 3, which officially informed slaves that they were free.

What can Trump possibly say, what finger can he possibly point, what invisible accordion can he possibly play, that will be of any interest or value? We already know he has nothing but simmering resentment at best toward black people, and we already know that his self-presentation is that of a bad insult comic. We know he has no knowledge or understanding of the history or the issues. We know he doesn’t give a shit. We know he’s repeatedly gone out of his way to express his animosity toward black people and anti-racism. What can he say that anyone but the boogaloo crowd wants to hear?

Maybe that’s not his plan, maybe I’m overestimating his advisors – maybe his plan is to go there to shout racist slurs and start the second Tulsa Race Riot.

“The African American community is very near and dear to his heart,” said White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Thursday of Trump’s planned Tulsa rally on Juneteenth. “He’s working on rectifying injustices. … So it’s a meaningful day to him and it’s a day where wants to share some of the progress that’s been made as we look forward and more that needs to be done.”

And goats can fly and cars can be milked and Jared Kushner is a genius.

Comments

3 responses to “Tulsa, Juneteenth”

  1. iknklast Avatar
    iknklast

    Jared Kushner, super genius. He’s going to catch that road runner one of these days, just you wait!

  2. John Wasson Avatar
    John Wasson

    Colfax, La. (1873), Wilmington, N.C. (1898), East St. Louis (1917), Tulsa, Okla. (1921)

    https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/america-s-other-civil-war-how-white-nationalism-led-to-civic-coups-d-tat-1.5151203

    hard to listen to

  3. What a Maroon Avatar
    What a Maroon

    And then there’s Jacksonville, 1960:

    More than 200 white people wielding baseball bats and ax handles chased black citizens through the streets of downtown Jacksonville, trying to beat them into submission.

    It was Aug. 27, 1960, a day that became known as Ax Handle Saturday.

    The violent attack was in response to peaceful lunch counter demonstrations organized by the Jacksonville Youth Council of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

    The attack began with white people spitting on the protesters and yelling racial slurs at them. When the young demonstrators held their resolve, they were beaten with wooden handles that had not had metal ax heads attached.

    While the violence was first aimed at the lunch counter demonstrators, it quickly escalated to include any black person in sight of the white mob. Police stood by idly, watching the beatings until members of a black street gang called The Boomerangs attempted to protect those being attacked. At that point, police night sticks joined the baseball bats and ax handles.

    Trump is going to give his acceptance speech in Jacksonville on August 27. The foghorn blows again.

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