Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work

[Aqua Letifer]

@Catseye3 said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Aqua-Letifer Correct.

Okay, well, I can only speak about my own corner of the world but it absolutely tracks. Things have gotten weird out there for some offices.

[Catseye3]

@Aqua-Letifer said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

it absolutely tracks. Things have gotten weird out there for some offices.

Okay, I can accept that as a possibility. It's true I'm not as in the know as I was when I was among others. I can accept anything, so matter how weird (I survived Trump, didn't I?) but it has to make sense.

[Doctor Phibes]

@Mik said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

You might say the same about July 4.

I'm sure the Queen finds that one a real drag.

[Mik]

@Aqua-Letifer said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Mik said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

Not sure I see any substantial difference. Body count, maybe.

If you were Wal-Mart, and you created a 4th of July event in celebration of the holiday, no one would shit down your throat about it.

If you were Wal-Mart, and you created a Juneteenth event in celebration of the holiday, this would happen: https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/24/business-food/walmart-juneteenth-ice-cream/index.html

That's my point. There is a massive practical difference. Not saying there should be, I'm talking about what is.

As Horace said, it did not say what exactly people were upset about. But still, I cannot imagine why anyone cared that they tried to make a buck off the holiday. We as a nation need to take off the hair shirt.

[Jolly]

Have never understood Juneteenth as a special specific day. The date of the Emancipation Proclamation, the end of the Civil War or the passage of the 13th Amendment, would seem more appropriate.

When I was a lad, Juneteenth was more of a memory and generalized celebration in the black (colored at the time) community. Wasn't really a specific date, because the black community didn't have a specific date.

[Aqua Letifer]

@Mik said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Mik said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

Not sure I see any substantial difference. Body count, maybe.

If you were Wal-Mart, and you created a 4th of July event in celebration of the holiday, no one would shit down your throat about it.

If you were Wal-Mart, and you created a Juneteenth event in celebration of the holiday, this would happen: https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/24/business-food/walmart-juneteenth-ice-cream/index.html

That's my point. There is a massive practical difference. Not saying there should be, I'm talking about what is.

But still, I cannot imagine why anyone cared that they tried to make a buck off the holiday.

Is that true? Can you really not imagine?

[Mik]

@Jolly said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

Have never understood Juneteenth as a special specific day. The date of the Emancipation Proclamation, the end of the Civil War or the passage of the 13th Amendment, would seem more appropriate.

When I was a lad, Juneteenth was more of a memory and generalized celebration in the black (colored at the time) community. Wasn't really a specific date, because the black community didn't have a specific date.

My friends who grew up in Texas confirm that.

[Mik]

@Aqua-Letifer said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Mik said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Mik said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

Not sure I see any substantial difference. Body count, maybe.

If you were Wal-Mart, and you created a 4th of July event in celebration of the holiday, no one would shit down your throat about it.

If you were Wal-Mart, and you created a Juneteenth event in celebration of the holiday, this would happen: https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/24/business-food/walmart-juneteenth-ice-cream/index.html

That's my point. There is a massive practical difference. Not saying there should be, I'm talking about what is.

But still, I cannot imagine why anyone cared that they tried to make a buck off the holiday.

Is that true? Can you really not imagine?

I guess I think people should have better things to do than seek Outrage Du Jour. I suppose that's incorrect.

[Aqua Letifer]

@Mik said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Mik said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Mik said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

Not sure I see any substantial difference. Body count, maybe.

If you were Wal-Mart, and you created a 4th of July event in celebration of the holiday, no one would shit down your throat about it.

If you were Wal-Mart, and you created a Juneteenth event in celebration of the holiday, this would happen: https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/24/business-food/walmart-juneteenth-ice-cream/index.html

That's my point. There is a massive practical difference. Not saying there should be, I'm talking about what is.

But still, I cannot imagine why anyone cared that they tried to make a buck off the holiday.

Is that true? Can you really not imagine?

I guess I think people should have better things to do than seek Outrage Du Jour. I suppose that's incorrect.

5 minutes on Twitter would help you dispel that delusion.

[Jolly]

@Mik said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Jolly said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

Have never understood Juneteenth as a special specific day. The date of the Emancipation Proclamation, the end of the Civil War or the passage of the 13th Amendment, would seem more appropriate.

When I was a lad, Juneteenth was more of a memory and generalized celebration in the black (colored at the time) community. Wasn't really a specific date, because the black community didn't have a specific date.

My friends who grew up in Texas confirm that.

Son, I had a black mammy, whom I loved dearly. Worked with a bunch of them for thirty years. Had one or two put their feet underneath my dining table.

There are things I still don't understand about black culture, but I do know it's different. I also know there's a difference between North, South and out West.

[Horace]

This is tomorrow, rather than next week. I'm excited to share deeply personal information about my sexual habits, with all my Black co-workers. Then we'll high five in solidarity for our mutual understanding of one another.

[Catseye3]

@Horace I offer advice given by the Duke of Wellington, which may come in handy right now.

"Get over heavy ground as light as you can."

[brenda]

@Horace said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

This is tomorrow, rather than next week. I'm excited to share deeply personal information about my sexual habits, with all my Black co-workers. Then we'll high five in solidarity for our mutual understanding of one another.

Horace, the difficult choice for you will be what to wear. Are you going for the feather boa this time?

[Horace]

@brenda said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Horace said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

This is tomorrow, rather than next week. I'm excited to share deeply personal information about my sexual habits, with all my Black co-workers. Then we'll high five in solidarity for our mutual understanding of one another.

Horace, the difficult choice for you will be what to wear. Are you going for the feather boa this time?

It'll be virtual. I'm gonna pull a Toobin, and if anybody gets offended, well, it'll be a teaching moment, to purge the hatred from their hearts.

[brenda]

@Horace said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@brenda said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Horace said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

This is tomorrow, rather than next week. I'm excited to share deeply personal information about my sexual habits, with all my Black co-workers. Then we'll high five in solidarity for our mutual understanding of one another.

Horace, the difficult choice for you will be what to wear. Are you going for the feather boa this time?

It'll be virtual. I'm gonna pull a Toobin, and if anybody gets offended, well, it'll be a teaching moment, to purge the hatred from their hearts.

That was not the reply I would have expected, but I will wait to hear of the results.

[Horace]

@brenda said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Horace said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@brenda said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

@Horace said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

This is tomorrow, rather than next week. I'm excited to share deeply personal information about my sexual habits, with all my Black co-workers. Then we'll high five in solidarity for our mutual understanding of one another.

Horace, the difficult choice for you will be what to wear. Are you going for the feather boa this time?

It'll be virtual. I'm gonna pull a Toobin, and if anybody gets offended, well, it'll be a teaching moment, to purge the hatred from their hearts.

That was not the reply I would have expected, but I will wait to hear of the results.

Sorry for the TMI. I thought this was a safe space, but I guess I'll have to wait for my work gathering tomorrow for that.

[George K]

@Horace said in Juneteenth/pride virtual event at work:

I'm gonna pull a Toobin

So, that's what you named it, eh?

[Horace]

This is going on now. First 20 minutes were taken by the new head of diversity and inclusion, learning to use Zoom and how to mute people in large meetings. First speaker was our white female HR VP. She gave background on gay rights and slave emancipation. Just two seamless bullet points. Presidents Clinton and Biden were mentioned by name for their official proclamations about gay pride month and juneteenth. Then a guest speaker was introduced. A female person of color who we were told has a "doctorial" degree in African studies. Our new D&I coordinator can't pronounce "doctoral", at a company where she's surrounded by PhDs.

The African Studies guest speaker told us our important holidays are Christian, but other religions and cultures are ignored. July 4th is insulting to black people. A frederick douglas speech excerpt was given verbatim, invoking the feelings he felt at the time as a former slave. The speaker's family is from Texas and they have always celebrated Juneteenth and never July 4. She gave us a history lesson about slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation didn't actually free the slaves because Lincoln had no jurisdiction in the south, Jefferson "Davies" was. Finally the north won and northern soldiers came to the plantations with guns to tell the slaves they were free from bondage. But the work of true freedom - voting, equality of opportunity, equality in the courts, was yet to come. Slaves were advised to stay on their planations and continue working, but for pay this time. Juneteenth marks the beginning of this quest for equality, and is a holiday for all of us, not just Black Americans. Overall a decent speech and not too divisive or fringey.

Now a black woman is going to sing for us. Change is Gonna Come, Sam Cooke. Well that's a wonderful song.

[Horace]

Pro tip: don't sing over zoom. This was originally intended to be an in-person event, so it's understandable. But the music is not being respected. The singer is good enough. She's done national anthems for pro teams in the area.

[Catseye3]

Will there be a Q&A at the end? Can you ask if there will be other pep rallies, or will this be it for, say, the rest of the year?