Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy sparked outrage when he recommended canceling Juneteenth, calling it a ‘useless’ festival.
On Saturday (August 5), Vivek Ramaswamy made the remark during a conversation with Iowa voters. He proposed that instead of June 10th, a national voting holiday be established.
“Cancel Juneteenth or one of the other useless ones we made up,” Ramaswamy told to a raucous reception from the crowd.
When asked by NBC News if he thought Juneteenth was a “useless” festival, Ramaswamy replied, “I basically do.” He further stated that the holiday was implemented for political reasons.
“The reason for making it a holiday was under political duress. It was a political hostage situation on the back of the death of George Floyd,” Ramaswamy said.
When asked if he thought other holidays, such as Veterans Day or Memorial Day, were likewise pointless, Ramaswamy responded no. “I stand with the presumption of time-tested traditions,” he said.
Ramaswamy’s 180-degree turn on the holiday
Ramaswamy’s remarks come less than two months after he was photographed celebrating the occasion. Ramaswamy expressed pride in celebrating the festival in a video shared on his official X profile, formerly known as Twitter.
“Juneteenth is a new holiday so we still have a chance to define what it means to us. It needn’t be about grievance & self-flogging. Let it be a celebration of the American Dream itself.
“What we celebrate is how far we’ve come. And as a first-generation American myself, you better believe I’m proud of it. Happy Juneteenth everybody,” he added.
Notably, despite being recognized since 1866, Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021. The statement came against the backdrop of George Floyd’s death, at a time when Black Lives Matter (BLM) was at its height.
Vivek Ramaswamy and his political views
Vivek Ramaswamy, a US citizen born and reared in Cincinnati, Ohio, entered the race for the Republican Party’s presidential candidacy in 2024. He’ll face former President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, and other heavyweights.
His father was employed at the GE Plant in Evendale, Ohio. In Cincinnati, his mother worked as a geriatric psychiatrist. Ramaswamy contends that American capitalism provides a way for discriminating Indian citizens to obtain greater economic possibilities in the United States.