Cowboys' Juneteenth Commemoration Sparks Disturbing Reactions
Thursday was Juneteenth.
It's a sad commentary on our society that the simple sentence - even that one word - can magnify and exacerbate the fractures in America ... and even among the Dallas Cowboys fan base.
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Like it or not, the United States of America is distinctly, dangerously divided. And the division - often discernable in stark black and white - trickles down and pollutes even "America's Team."
A little history:
The land that would eventually become the U.S. in 1776 began slavery in the early 1600s when boats arrived from Africa trading human beings for food and provisions. More than 200 years later the Civil War was fought over slavery, and on June 19, 1865 the Emancipation Proclamation officially ended the practice. To commemorate the official abolishment of slavery, the U.S. began celebrating "Juneteenth."
President Joe Biden declared it a federal holiday in 2021.
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But with Donald Trump now in office, America's steps toward fairness have been largely abandoned. Being "woke" to racial issues and acknowledging DEI - which literally stands for "Diversity. Equality. Inclusion" - is a bridge too far for many conservative Americans.
On Thursday - June 19 - the Cowboys posted a simple message on their social media to highlight Juneteenth:
"Today, we celebrate freedom. #Juneteenth is a day to reflect, educate, and commemorate."
The comments to the post are as sad as they are startling. Welcome to America, 2025. Welcome to Cowboys fans, who are ignorant and/or angry about the end of slavery.
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A sampling of some of the worst comments to the Cowboys on X/Twitter:
@Amelia_1998_: I'm not black I'm not celebrating it
@ShaneMo90317264: It's only the Democrats that's celebrate this crap
@TheSpor74149303: At least we can knock out all these made-up holidays in the month of June. Pride month and Juneteenth.
@Michael87337190: Quit pandering
@realBobStein: Wake me up for a REAL holiday on Independence Day!!
@JedRevanWolf: Really I was starting to be proud of you guys. You didn't pander for fake pride month. But then you go & pull this (bleep).
Being reminded that human beings can no longer own other human beings triggered reactions like "crap", "made-up", "pandering", "(bleep)" and a public outright refusal of acknowledgement purely because of skin color.
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Said commenter @Twisted_Jeff: It's crazy how many people in the comments still openly support slavery.
To which @Bunkednbusted responded: So what?
@Boomer_Sooner68: Watching all the ignorance here is mind-boggling. Stupid racists.
The post attracted almost 250,000 views and prompted more than 100 comments. Not all of them, thankfully, were hate-fueled.
Wrote @sirdavepeterson: Powerful message. Honoring Juneteenth means honoring the journey - the fight, the progress, and the future. Respect to the Cowboys for acknowledging the moment.
Related: ESPN's Cam Pushes Wild Cowboys' Dak vs. Arch Prediction
Related: Cowboys' Top 5 All-Time Free Agents
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
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