OKLAHOMA - With an estimated distance of a mile away from the location of the Saturday rally of United States President Donald Trump, Reverend Al Sharpton also spoke to a mammoth crowd on the Oklahoma State University's campus in Tulsa.
The location picked by Sharpton is near to the city's infamous race massacre which took place in 1921.
Sharpton is among the several speakers invited for the Juneteenth celebration in Tulsa this year, wherein he emphasized that it is not Lincoln who freed the slaves but it is the slaves who freed Lincoln.
He also pointed out that the 'Black Lives Matter's movement protesters were not as violent as described by others.
Sharpton shared with the crowd that they are not violent and they are just fighting violence.
He also mentioned that the Juneteenth event needs to be a federal holiday as it is the first date that the United States stepped forward as a model that all men were created equal.
Moreover, USA Today reported that several lawmakers also suggested and introduced legislation to make the said day to be included in the holidays.
Despite the rain, the audience watching Sharpton responded boos after he mentioned that the president is coming on June 19, as they are disappointed after Trump admitted that he did not know anything about Juneteenth.
Sharpton also pointed out that the admission of Trump only shows that he is not qualified as ahead of the state and to represent the country.
He also stated that the US President is insensitive and isolated especially that he was born and raised in New York, wherein two-thirds of New York's population is Latino and black.
Read also: Trump Faces Health Concerns After West Point Ramp Walk, Denies Having Parkinson's Disease
Trump claimed earlier this week that nobody had ever heard of the event on June 19 before the controversy that surrounded his rally, which he originally set on the calendar to be on Juneteenth.
Meanwhile, PBS reported that many officials expressed concern about the possible spike of coronavirus cases due to the Tulsa rally.
Pence refused to say 'Black lives matter'
When pressed on the issue on Friday, Vice President Mike Pence refused to say 'Black lives matter' but instead he answered 'all lives matter' to the question.
In an interview in Philadelphia, Pence was asked if he would say that Black lives matter, Pence responded that what happened to George Floyd was a tragedy and he sighted that in the US, specifically on Juneteenth, the celebration should focus on the fact that from founding this nation the country cherished the ideal that all of us are created equal therefore all lives matter in a very real sense.
He also added that he does not accept the fact that there is a segment of American society that disagrees, in the preciousness and importance of every life of humans.
Pence also sighted that it one of the reasons why the advancement of law enforcement is very important as they always look for ways in strengthening and improving the inner cities and he mentioned that it will not stop there.
The 'All lives matter' is a saying linked to criticize the 'Black Lives Matter' movement and is viewed as a movement that dismisses and detracts from the racial injustice concerns.
Related article : Trump Claims He Deserves Credit for Making Juneteenth "Very Famous"
