On the 158th anniversary of the order by Major General Gordon Granger proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas on June 19, 1865, US presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy issued the following statement on the emancipation of the American mind from psychological slavery based on race:
“On this Juneteenth, let us finally emancipate ourselves from the psychological slavery that our society perpetuates now. Today, we should commit to finally emancipate our children from toxic dogmas that teach them they are ‘oppressed’ based on the color of their skin. Political and cultural leaders like Ibram Kendi, Ayanna Pressley, and Don Lemon assert that your skin color dictates the content of the views you’re allowed to espouse. This is un-American.
“Let us not ceaselessly flog ourselves for our failures more than 160 years ago. Let’s instead celebrate the progress we have made to become the quintessential nation on Earth where no matter your skin color, you can achieve anything you ever want. That’s who we are.
“That’s how we honor Juneteenth today.”
