06/19/25
Good morning! It’s Thursday, June 19th.
Juneteenth.
On January 1st, 1863, in the third year of the Civil War, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which meant that all enslaved people in Confederate states were free.
And on that, Union soldiers, many of whom were Black, spread the news, reading the Proclamation, in Confederate states.
But in the Confederate states, there was (I presume) a lot of, like, “oh no”-ing going on.
So that was January 1st, 1863.
The Civil War ended April 8th, 1865. It wouldn’t be until June 19th, 1865, when 2000(ish) union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas and VERY surprised to see over 250,000 enslaved Black people there.
They read the now 2-and-a-half-year-old Emancipation Proclamation. And thus a quarter million Black people, who were free but their enslavers never told them (or allowed them access to the information, or education to read the information), were informed of their freedom.
Reconstruction followed from 1865 to 1877, during which 1,500 Black Americans were voted into different political offices in the country.
In 1877, we saw the beginning of Jim Crow laws and poll taxes and literacy tests, specifically designed to keep Black Americans (mostly, although really anyone except for non-poor white people was treated to these laws) from casting a ballot.
Then, after protests and marches, a church bombing that killed four young girls, people being beaten within an inch of their lives on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and inches further in restaurants and shops and back alleys all around the country… the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibited race, color, or membership in one of the language minority groups from being something that prevented folks from being able to cast their ballot.
And that was great.
That was 1965.
In 2004 we elected our first Black president, and in 2013, because it was the first chance they got, the Supreme Court cut a key piece of the Voting Rights Act, making it so much easier to create race-neutral discrimination laws. Which means like – “hey. We’re not trying to prevent non-white Americans from voting! We can’t do that! All we’re doing is… closing the only voter registration and DMVs in areas where we don’t see enough white people to feel like we won’t lose the election.”
Hours later, Texas implemented a voter ID law that the Justice Department previously said was illegal.
Twenty-one years later, we’ve got a convict in the White House trying to get rid of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and pretending like Black history is not the history of America. But it is. And nobody will ever erase that history.
And now, the news.
Israel & Iran
-via Wall Street Journal, Politico, and CNN
Starting with Israel and Iran but actually here in America, because Trump has reportedly told his aides that he has already approved attack plans for Iran but he hasn’t given his final order yet because, “I like to make a final decision one second before it’s due.”
What a great idea. Good choice for president. Great picking everyone! Good job!
Game time decision.
Out of curiosity, I looked up the last few times I texted that. They were texts about a t-shirt, salt and vinegar regular chips, and whether I’ll be off work in time to carpool with someone.
Notice none of those were about war.
All people are different people, as they say.
As a reminder, we got here because Trump says Iran is very close to having a nuclear weapon. However, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has testified that Iran is not developing any nuclear weapons. When asked about this, Trump said, “I don’t care what she said,” which is so wild because Trump put her in that position, even though we were like, hey please don’t, she is quite literally a Russian spy, so you’d think he’d listen to her! Anyway, when asked about that, Gabbard said, no no, you don’t know him like I know him – we’re on the same page.
Okie doke.
Is it too soon to shout 2003?
In a national address, Iran’s leader said that any US military intervention would lead to “irreparable damage.”
Trans Rights in America
In yesterday’s episode I highlighted a bit of good news for trans Americans. Wednesday then gave back-to-back headlines that served some absolute cruelty.
Starting where most cruelty starts – the Supreme Court!
In a 6-3 decision, the Supremes handed down a ruling in a case out of Tennessee that upholds the state’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors.
The ruling bans puberty blockers and hormone treatments.
Chief Justice Roberts wrote for the majority to say that this ruling doesn’t violate the Constitution’s equal protection clause, writing, “This case carries with it the weight of fierce scientific and policy debates about the safety, efficacy, and propriety of medical treatments in an evolving field. The voices in these debates raise sincere concerns; the implications for all are profound. The Equal Protection Clause does not resolve these disagreements. Nor does it afford us license to decide them as we see best.”
Tricky.
Hear me out. The Equal Protection Clause does not resolve disagreements in science. Of course not.
But maybe instead of pointing this argument in that direction, you could have just turned it a little bit. You chose to make it about science. There are only three words in that clause, may I direct you to one of them that you could have chosen?
Protection, perhaps?
You are not doctors. Let doctors make medical decisions. That’s all we’re asking. We’re not asking for the moon. We’re asking for doctors and patients to be able to have safe conversations about what is best for the patient. It is an evolving field. How much evolution do you think this helps push forward?
Writing for the dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, “By retreating from meaningful judicial review exactly where it matters most, the court abandons transgender children and their families to political whims. In sadness, I dissent.”
I can only imagine days like today are really hard for the trans community. I can only imagine that there are a lot of days that are hard for our LGBTQ+ youth here in America. Made harder by an administration that chooses, at nearly every opportunity, pointed cruelty.
For example, also on Wednesday it was announced that, in 30 days, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline will no longer utilize it’s LGBTQ youth services.
And when they announced it, they even did so by saying they will “no longer silo LGB+ youth services.” You cannot erase trans Americans. They have always existed. Will always exist. Luckily for us, they will outlive you and your horrific hate.
And this decision will not take place for 30 days, and the Trevor Project is calling on Congress to reverse the administration’s decision.
It is important to note, it is maybe the most important thing I will say in this entire episode, that anyone, anyone, who calls 988 will still be able to reach a trained crisis counselor.
And that’s it. That’s the news.
Just two stories, but they’re big ones! Not a lot of other news when it’s like “are we going to war” and the Supreme Court is stripping trans Americans of their rights.
I’m proud of trans youth. Just out here, living their most authentic lives.
But more than olives, because it’s National Martini Day and I’m not about to be like, and more than trans youthbecause that would be insane! But more than olives, because you’re not overly salty, but I like ya when you’re a little salty… I’m proud of you.