As a philosophy instructor at a state university, I frequently interact with activist colleagues who leverage their classrooms for DEI, LGBTQ, and decolonization initiatives. They often justify this approach by claiming they are striving for justice, which they consider a fundamental educational goal.
However, the legacy of chattel slavery reminds us that true justice isn’t something solely established by activists, courts, or governments. Instead, it stems from human nature and divine law.
Juneteenth highlights the fact that legal freedom was belatedly recognized in Texas. Yet, the understanding of human dignity was not late—it has existed since the dawn of creation.
Thanks to our founding ideals, Americans were able to advocate for the end of slavery, which was a profound violation of natural law. Unfortunately, slavery persists in some areas today due to varying governing philosophies.
Juneteenth symbolizes more than just a delayed legal liberation. It underscores a vital truth: the immorality of chattel slavery existed long before legislative action was taken against it. Moral law transcends human law. To genuinely honor Juneteenth, we must revive natural law and acknowledge the Creator who provides its foundation.
Freedom didn’t create dignity
On June 19, 1865, enslaved people in Texas learned of their newfound freedom. Yet, this announcement did not grant them dignity or rights. It merely acknowledged a truth that had always existed: they were human beings created by God, deserving of autonomy.
The oppressive system that enabled slavery began with abduction and was maintained through brutal violence. Such laws were illegitimate since they conflicted with the divine moral law bestowed upon humanity.
Most Americans today concur that slavery is wrong. But what is the basis for this consensus?
Is it simply because Congress acted against it? Does public opinion changing imply an absolute right or wrong? Did the Union’s victory in the Civil War clarify the matter? History’s progress doesn’t equate to correctness.
Slavery is wrong because human beings cannot be treated as property.
People possess inherent qualities that confer a moral status recognized beyond governmental authority. They are rational, moral, and created for responsibilities towards God and their neighbors. Of course, human nature sometimes complicates our actions.
This perspective aligns with Christian natural law theory.
Rights originate from the Creator
Natural law posits that what benefits a being is rooted in its nature. Hence, the good for horses is defined by their nature, as is the good for trees and humans.
This explains why chattel slavery is not merely outdated or offensive; it fundamentally contradicts human nature.
While slaveholders may wield legal power and societal recognition, their authority lacks moral foundation because human law cannot override human nature.
The Declaration of Independence doesn’t assert that rights originate from the government. Instead, it asserts that all men are “created equal” and “endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights.”
If rights are government-granted, then governments can redefine or rescind them at will. Rights based on social consensus can be denied by a majority. If grounded in personal identity, they devolve into expressions of power.
However, when rights derive from the Creator, the government becomes subject to accountability. The essence of justice does not stem from the state; rather, we hold a duty to uphold it.
This is why the Declaration held greater moral weight than the compromises permitting slavery. Our nation’s founding ideals included principles that condemned our own transgressions. Juneteenth should serve as a reminder that these principles must address the sins of nations.
Justice’s counterfeit
Activists for social justice often seek the emotional power of moral conclusions without the foundational beliefs that enable them.
They call slavery wrong, condemning racism and oppression. Yet, many reject the Creator, deny fixed concepts of humanity, and reduce justice to mere power dynamics or social constructs. Those decrying slavery may also advocate for fluid definitions of humanity, thereby undermining the moral weight of their claims.
These ideas lack coherence.
If justice is merely socially constructed, then an oppressive society could just as easily construct a system of slavery. Should morality simply reflect the whims of those in power, the abolition of slavery would not signify justice but merely a shift in dominance.
Juneteenth cannot be justified by moral relativity; it demands a commitment to moral realism.
DEI as a secular belief system
The activist interpretation of justice acts as a diluted version of Christianity. It maintains an external appearance while stripping away essential meaning. DEI frameworks are couched in terms of justice, equality, and liberation, yet they disconnect these concepts from the Creator and natural law. Instead, justice becomes synonymous with group fairness, sin morphs into systemic issues, repentance turns into political re-education, and salvation equals ideological compliance.
This model fails to clarify the reasons slavery is inherently wrong. It can analyze power relations but falls short of establishing a moral account for the oppression’s culpability.
In contrast, the Christian natural law tradition can articulate this.
A proper observance of Juneteenth should encapsulate gratitude for liberation, awareness of national shortcomings, reverence for those affected, and a clear understanding of justice’s nature. However, it shouldn’t devolve into an exercise in eternal grievance or ideological enforcement.
America’s accountability to God
The takeaway isn’t that America is uniquely sinful. Instead, it illustrates that our nation, like all others, is accountable to higher laws. When it strayed from these laws, it was in the wrong. Yet, America possessed the moral compass to amend its missteps.
I believe Americans need to reflect on past national errors and seek divine salvation.
This is why Juneteenth shouldn’t be given over to those who disdain the moral framework that gives it significance.
Juneteenth serves as a reminder that legal freedom was long in coming for Texas, but the truth of human dignity has been present since creation. The offers of redemption have also always been available, applicable to all sinners.
Enslaved individuals were humans before their liberation. They inherently possessed rights long before they were officially recognized.
Slavery was evil well before it was abolished. Justice existed before America recognized it.
This is a lesson that resonates today. We face national sins we must confront and acknowledge that Christ serves as our Savior.
Juneteenth only holds relevance if natural law is indeed real. And natural law gains significance only if the justice bestowed by the Creator surpasses every court, parliament, plantation, university, and activist endeavor.
Advocates of Marxism might protest, but they fail to offer a coherent account of justice.
