Stock photo
Stock photo
Some people are angry that Evanston's Fourth of July Association Board of Trustees cancelled its Independence Day festivities due to COVID-19 concerns, while the separate groups that run Evanston's Juneteenth and Pride Month celebrations proceeded with their events.
“Community leaders in the Democrat bastion of Evanston, Illinois, have apparently decided that Covid-19 is a greater public-health risk on Independence Day than during Juneteenth and Pride Month celebrations,” GenZConservative posted on its website. The group said organizers made the decision "based on concern for public health and the unpredictability of the pandemic's impact, vaccination rates.”
The Juneteenth celebration took place just two weeks before Independence Day and the Gay Pride event is scheduled for the week following it.
“My home town of Evanston, Illinois, is having a Juneteenth Parade and a Gay Pride Parade, but is cancelling the 4th of July Parade & Fireworks,” Tom Bevan posted on Twitter, prompting one responder to weigh in, “If anyone hasn't noticed yet, COVID is the excuse to cancel all our traditional celebrations, while new celebrations are formed and performed with impunity. It's about erasing our history and remaking it in their image. All I have to say is, ‘this is war.’
Others find it’s also largely about politics, with Chicago podcast host John Kass recently branding the state "Wokistan."
According to a statement on Evanston4th.org: "Evanston’s Juneteenth, Pride and July 4th celebrations are each organized by separate nonprofit organizations, and each made their own plans for this year’s events. As well, many may not know that although the City of Evanston partners with each of these independent organizations, the City does not produce the celebrations. They are entirely community run, and they each rely heavily on volunteers and donations to succeed."
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