Juneteenth - Moment to Reflect on True Freedom!

CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH!

The Americans freed themselves from the British on July 4th, 1776, but the fight was on higher taxes rather than restrictions on freedom. Most Americans were still either unfree or not allowed to vote. 30% of those were African American slaves. African Americans gained their human right of freedom on June the 19th, 1866.

The Celebration of Juneteenth is important to African American History as it dawned on a new chapter of freedom in the lives of colored people. American history may say that the Americans got their freedom on July 4th, 1776, but not all were truly free. It was privileged to certain non-colored people.

This begs the question - What is considered truly the freedom of a nation? What does it mean to be free.

QUICK HISTORY BEHIND IT

When Abraham Lincoln commanded the presidency after March 4th, 1861, many southern states where slavery was still strong, tried to secede to form their own country where they can own black slaves. This ensued a Civil War between the Union and the Confederate states. In the third year of the civil war, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, which encouraged many colored people to escape to the North from the South and the ones living in Union to pick up the arms to fight against the Confederates.

The Civil War officially ended on April 9th, 1865 when Robert E.Lee surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse. On June 19th, 1866 Major General Gordon Granger formally declared and informed the people of the end of slavery in Galveston, Texas. This spurred a major event for the celebration of the newfound freedom for all the people, it gave hope to the weak and suppressed.

After that, every year, on June 19th, African Americans would celebrate the anniversary of their freedom. As the Jim Crow Laws declined due to an economic slowdown and political forces, the demand for recognition of Juneteenth went higher. Texas became the first state to officially declare it an official holiday in 1938. The holiday was celebrated by singing spiritual songs and having prayer meetings to be grateful for the freedom. It is also celebrated as Emancipation Day, today it is declared a federal holiday throughout the United States. 

THE FIGHT FOR REAL FREEDOM

Humanity was once again looking to triumph, as it reinforced the belief of freedom and the human right. But this was not the end of the fight but rather the beginning of a new one. From the Jim Crow Laws, segregating and discrimination based on color, to outright racism and crimes against the African American community, to the KKK and extremist groups, to the Civil Rights Movement and the fight against racism, the strife for REAL freedom lasted another 100 years.

The work of removing systematic racism in the United States saw its fervor on the day when thousands marched to the Capitol with M.LK. The march was symbolic as it gave the ability for each human to dream, have goals and achieve them through hard work. The spirit to freely dream can never be taken away by any restriction, or any situation as a matter of fact. Especially if that dream is to choose one’s destiny. For many African Americans, the newly found freedom was a symbol of gratefulness to God and also a reminder for the forefathers’ fight for freedom. It was a fight for choice - the power to self-rule. Juneteenth is thus a celebration of humanity’s triumph, for the spirit to be free and to come closer to one another again.

WHAT IS FREEDOM?

When we reflect on this African American fight for freedom, we realize the gratefulness we must have. But also - what it truly means to be free as a society and individual. To be truly free, means to liberate ourselves from the things that are holding us or things that we have become enslaved by.

While in many scenarios throughout history slavery was imposed and many were not given their human rights forcibly, we all see today within us - slavery that is subconscious and self-imposed. It is true that in several regions throughout the world, many communities and groups are denied their basic rights and are subjected to situations similar to slavery. But what are we all held back by  today? 

Whether we see the child craving the ice cream sandwich from the ice cream truck buzzing by, or the power-hungry dictator seeking more wealth and control over the neighboring nations, to a certain degree we are all subjects of our own mind, ego and desires. Of course, while some are naturally human. When let loose and out of control, these sensual faculties within us become slaves of external objects.

And when one becomes dependent on external things for internal satisfaction - a subconscious, subtle slavery is in place. Whether it is the approval from social media followers of your latest photo or the urge to catch on to the latest trend and moneymaking scheme, one is subject to some level of slavery to these external things.

We sometimes do become hungry for such approval, wealth, contentment, pleasure or urge. And at that point whether it is alcohol, cocaine, money, sex or social media, we do become addicted. Addiction can become self-abuse and a perpetual cycle of enslavement to one’s own weaknesses. In fact, the Katho Upanishad, an ancient Indian spiritual scripture, speaks of a metaphor. It states that our true self is the witnessing warrior on a chariot.

The chariot is our body, the charioteer is our intellect that gives direction. The reigns represent the mind and the horses are the five senses. As long as the intellect holds control over the reigns or the mind, the horses or senses will gain direction and won’t move out of control. But the moment the horses are in control, the charioteer loses power and the chariot will move without direction in life.

We may end up hoping that such external ideas will give us ultimate satisfaction - that is impossible because of their fleeting and temporary nature. Thus, it results in a perpetual cycle of enslavement to one’s own ignorance. Such ancient wisdom speaks about true freedom manifesting when man has complete control over oneself and understands true joy comes internally, from within. In a sense, self-rule or Swarajya in Sanskrit is important. 

Similarly, at a societal level, we see a dichotomy between the birth-right of freedom but also the necessity for rules and regulations. If everyone was allowed to do whatever they felt like, then the whole society would go into chaos, that is why we have laws and regulations that maintain civility in society. At the same time, humans also suffer from restrictions infringed upon by others to exploit them.

That is when the word, Swaraj becomes very important. Although it is an ancient idea from Indian scriptures, it has been echoed throughout the world for centuries in many different cultures. In India, Mahatma Gandhi was inspired by the idea of swaraj, after which he started his “Satyagraha” or Civil Disobedience. Then Nelson Mandela in South Africa soon followed to end the apartheid and then M.L.K. in the United States to end unequal rights. 

Long before recent history, it is believed that Vashishta, the great Indian sage, had created a society that was ruled without any Civil governance. A society in which each individual lived peacefully.One may wonder how that was possible? It was possible when each individual encompassed freedom to express while taking into account another's freedom. It was by having self- restrictions that prevented infringement of another’s freedom.

This is what today’s humans can only dream about. Henry David Thoreau writes in his essays on Civil disobedience, “the best government is the one which governs the least.”  But this ideal structure can only happen if each individual takes the control of himself and responsibility of others as well without selfish exploitation.

When we introspect on freedom as a community, nation and individual, we realize the strife it takes. If it is a nation, we see a governing body’s control to protect these rights and take on the responsibilities are important. And if it pertains to an individual’s personal freedom from vices, it requires his or her own self-control. Freedom is a birthright.

But it is also a responsibility. It is also a duty. It is also a fight that consistently needs to be remembered. Especially when we the injustices and subtle racism through events like the George Floyd murder and the Black Lives Matter movement, we realize how freedom is a continuous journey to remind ourselves. Juneteenth is a moment of reflection and celebration for African Americans. But it is a moment of reflection for us all - as human-beings.