Gerth: In Kentucky, it's Oreo cookies and not Juneteenth that's important

Wednesday, June 19, is an important holiday that is gaining in popularity.

Some of you probably first heard about it just a few years ago, and many may still not understand exactly what it is about or why we are celebrating it.

Of course, I’m talking about National Eat an Oreo Day.

It’s a day to celebrate that delicious chocolate and cream biscuit that is the top-selling, store-bought cookie in the world and is sold in more than 100 counties.

I know this because someone forwarded to me a copy of Kentucky's Legislative Research Commission Daily Bulletin from that day.

“Good morning from LRC. Today is Wednesday, June 19, and National Eat an Oreo Day,” was the message that went out to the legislature's 380 employees.

Now, I love an Oreo as much as the next guy — I prefer the original ones and not the Double Stuf Oreos that just don’t have enough of the chocolaty goodness to overcome the taste of the cream —– but come on …

I hate to be the wet blanket here who points out that my friends in the state legislature forgot a pretty important holiday that many people who work for the federal government, banks, the state executive branch and numerous businesses across the country celebrate — or at least get a day off from work.

Juneteenth, also referred to as National Independence Day, commemorates when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger ordered the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas on June 19, 1865.

It became a federal holiday in 2021 and, on May 23, Gov. Andy Beshear made it a holiday for employees in the state’s executive branch for the first time.

The only thing state legislative employees heard about Juneteenth this year came from LRC Director Jay Hartz on June 5, when he wrote under the subject: “LRC offices will be open June 19, 2024.”

The body of the email says, “Committee meetings will take place as scheduled.”

In fairness, the legislature already had meetings scheduled, and Beshear didn't give them a heck of a lot of time to follow suit and give its employees that day off. Juneteenth is also not on the list of approved holidays for state court workers.

In even more fairness, Republicans in the legislature didn't allow bills recognizing Juneteenth filed this year in the state House and Senate to be heard.

In an email, Hartz said "there was no conscious effort to overlook Juneteenth.”

More Gerth: Do you live in a Kentucky county named after someone who enslaved Black people?

The fact that LRC’s daily bulletin for June 19 doesn’t mention Juneteenth but does mention “National Eat an Oreo Day,” according to NAACP state conference president Raoul Cunningham, is “offensive.”

Especially since, he notes, 42 other states approved Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday as state holidays before Kentucky did.

And just so all the racists out there didn’t feel left out, when we approved King’s birthday as a holiday, we also continued to recognize Robert E. Lee Day, Jefferson Davis Day and Confederate Memorial Day in our state laws.

This in a state that didn’t even join the Confederacy.

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The Kentucky legislature has ignored bills filed in recent years to do away with those holidays and, instead, passed bills targeting transgender kids.

Priorities.

Speaking of priorities, it’s not too late to get a package of Oreos to celebrate even if you’re a few days late.

Lord knows that’s what’s important in a state that celebrates Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis.

Joseph Gerth can be reached at 502-582-4702 or by email at jgerth@courierjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky legislative memo honors Eat an Oreo Day instead of Juneteenth