Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says the Republicans who voted against making Juneteenth a federal holiday have 3 things in common … they’re white, male and in denial.
We got AOC on Capitol Hill and asked her about the importance of recognizing the end of slavery in the United States with the new federal holiday. While she acknowledged the passage of the bill was an important first step, she was also sad to see opposition from GOP Congressmen.
While the proposal to make Juneteenth a holiday passed unanimously in the Senate, there were 14 votes against it in the House before it ended up on President Biden‘s desk.
AOC was quick to point out the GOP votes against it were all entered by white men.
She believes that lack of diversity ties in with the movement in several states to ban public schools from teaching students about America’s history of slavery and systemic racism.
As we reported … Biden signed the landmark bill Thursday, and both he and Vice President Kamala Harris said it’s just the next step in the long journey to equality.
AOC’s going a little further here, telling us what the next steps should be … including a vote to begin seriously discussing reparations.