Having spent many years in Texas, I am familiar with Juneteenth and the deep emotions it arouses.  Now, we have a national holiday to remember that day, when word of the Emancipation Proclamation reached Galveston, freeing the enslaved Americans.  Now, start remembering . . . !!

First, there is a cost to national holidays.  Whatever the value of all those government workers doing a day’s work is unclear, but clearly there will be undone work that must be caught up later, maybe even with overtime pay.  Do you really  think the U.S. Postal Service can afford to take a day off, while the mail stacks up?

Second, why do we glorify NOT working?  It is not offensive to work.  If I work on Veteran’s Day, am I disrespecting veterans?  If I work on Juneteenth, am I disrespecting Black history?

Third, I understand the emotional significance of Juneteenth.  However, instead of an 11th national holiday, how about renaming a holiday nobody cares about, such as President’s Day.

Fourth, another holiday for government workers just fuels the growing resentment of the benefit-laden government workers.  Additional holidays are just another wedge between us.

National holidays may be good for emotions but are bad for the economy!