The Oklahoma Democratic Party addressed President Trump’s Tulsa campaign rally, which will happen Saturday night.
Chair Alicia Andrews said the president has gone from saying it’s about Oklahoma’s COVID numbers to saying it’s about celebrating Juneteenth, and she’s not sure what the real reason is.
"And frankly, no one wants him to celebrate Juneteenth. Juneteenth also marks the fact that slaveholders benefitted from two and a half more years of free labor. We get to celebrate the end of chattel slavery. The celebration is not for the oppressor," Andrews said.
Andrews said Juneteenth is intended to be a celebration of freedom, but the work to make Black Americans free is far from done.
"Freedom is not just about no more chattel slavery. Freedom is about economic freedom. It’s about freedom from racial injustice. Freedom from economic disparities. Freedom from systematic oppression. Freedom from business as usual marginalization. Freedom to truly pursue happiness. In Trump’s America, this level of freedom is not available to all Oklahomans," Andrews said.
Trump originally scheduled tomorrow’s rally for Juneteenth and later said he didn’t know about the holiday.
Andrews also encouraged potential protesters to stay away from the BOK Center.
