Juneteenth, And Why Animus Toward Cities Persists Today

There's always been a strain of anti-city sentiment in the U.S. As much as I love cities, I wonder if it will ever go away.

The Juneteenth flag. Source: wikipedia.org

Today our nation celebrates Juneteenth, a day to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, enslaved Black Texans were given word that the Emancipation Proclamation, which went into effect on January 1, 1863, was being enforced in Texas, a full 2 ½ years after the Proclamation’s adoption.

I think it’s interesting and rather ironic that we acknowledge July 4, 1776 as the founding of America with the Declaration of Independence. A strong case could be made that America wasn’t founded as a country until September 3, 1783, when the Treaty of Paris ending the American Revolutionary War was signed by American and British representatives. Yet, we don’t.

The Declaration of Independence was an act of protest. It was the last of a series of acts of protest against the Crown that began much earlier in America but gained intensity following Great Britain’s victory in the French and Indian War in 1763. That’s when Parliament began imposing or enforcing unpopular taxes on the colonies to recoup its debts from the global Seven Years’ War, of which the French and Indian War was a theater. Incidents like the Boston Massacre, the lesser-known Pine Tree Riot and the Boston Tea Party, among others, were all protests that preceded the Declaration.

A drawing of the Boston Massacre: British soldiers firing on American protesters. Source: gettyimages.com

Yes, the Declaration of Independence raised the colonists’ stakes; it meant moving from acts of protest to an all-out act of war. However, American independence was by no means guaranteed with the Declaration. It had to defeat Great Britain. That didn’t occur until seven years later. That was when Britain, and thus the rest of the world, would now recognize the United States as an independent nation.

For another 78 years after gaining independence, Americans struggled with their notions of freedom while continuing to enslave millions of Black Africans. Enslaved Americans declared their independence as early as 1619, with numerous revolts, uprisings and protests. Millions of people would be born into slavery in America while tensions rose between slaveholding and free states. The American South declared its independence as the Confederate States of America so it could continue the institution of slavery in perpetuity. In this second American Revolution, the Union defeated the Confederacy, reunited the nation and “solved” the problem of slavery.

A drawing depicting the New York City draft riots, July 13-16, 1863. Rioters were incensed about the draft that would have them fighting in the American Civil War, and took to the streets. Source: gettyimages.com

The irony is this: Americans choose to celebrate the protests that lead to our ultimate victories. If the South had won the Civil War, there’s no doubt in my mind that December 20, 1860, the day that South Carolina became the first state to secede from the union, would’ve been a Confederate holiday. But the end of slavery did not come until 246 years after its introduction in America and not recognized as a federal holiday until 2021

There was also a third American revolution that’s led to where our nation is today. The Civil Rights Movement did not involve the same kind of hostilities that resulted in the Revolutionary or Civil wars, so maybe it’s not viewed as revolutionary. However, there were indeed people who died for its causes, and it was every bit as significant in our nation’s history as our origin story and rebound from the Civil War. In fact, the Civil Rights Movement was instrumental in making cities the nation’s new battle line where concepts of American freedom would be fought.

Protesters in Chicago’s Marquette Park neighborhood in 1966, witnessing Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s march. Source: wamc.org

Today, the nation is experiencing a rise in anti-city sentiment that it hasn’t seen in the last five years, after the blowback from nationwide (indeed, worldwide) protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by a police officer in 2020.

Over the last month, the surge in protests against federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests, with Los Angeles being in the spotlight, has caused many professional pundits and laypeople to decry the “lawlessness” that plagues American cities. In the leadup to the “No Kings” protests in response to President Trump’s military parade celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250^th anniversary and Trump’s birthday, many people readied themselves for violent protests nationwide which, for the most part, never materialized.

I’m tired of this cycle. Protests occur after some event. Police and protesters spar as police try to contain the protesters and limit damage, and the protesters defiantly make their point. Each engagement like this has every opportunity to become violent, and sometimes does. When violence does occur, the general public’s attention often moves away from the act that initiated the protests and shifts toward the damage done by the protesters. Then it goes even deeper; cities get attacked for being crime-plagued and ungovernable.

I understand the frustration that people have with damage from protests. I’ve witnessed property damage from protests personally and I’ve had the exact same frustration. But every time this happens, two questions come to mind:

· Why does the focus shift so quickly from the initial act to the protests?

· Why do cities bear the brunt of the negativity?

I guess it comes down to a classic liberal vs. conservative argument – the role of individual or social responsibility in our society. Or more succinctly, who’s to blame, the action or the responses to the action?

Unfortunately, this will always be the case in America, because cities are social entities in an individualized society.

I did a trendy thing for this article: I went to AI to get some thoughts on why people might be resistant to improving the quality of life within cities. Here’s what popped up:

Personal Considerations

Cost-Benefit Analysis: Individuals often weigh the potential benefits of helping against the costs involved, which could include time, effort, or financial burden. If they perceive the costs as too high or feel their contribution will have little impact, they may be less inclined to help.

Lack of Personal Responsibility: The "bystander effect" can contribute to resistance in large groups, as individuals may feel less personal accountability when others are also present.

Perceived Blame: Individuals might hesitate to help if they believe those in need could have prevented their situation through their own actions.

NIMBYism

Neighborhood Character: Many residents worry that new developments will alter the character and identity of their neighborhood, fearing changes to its unique qualities.

Traffic Concerns: Increased traffic, congestion, and difficulty with parking are common anxieties associated with new developments, potentially leading to increased resistance.

Environmental Concerns: Fear of harm to the environment, such as habitat loss or increased pollution, can lead to opposition, particularly in areas with significant green spaces.

Gentrification and Displacement: Urban development, particularly gentrification, can fuel fears of displacement and the loss of affordable housing, pushing out long-term residents and impacting community dynamics.

Lack of Trust and Participation: When residents feel excluded from the planning process or that their input is disregarded, they may develop a lack of trust in developers and local authorities, leading to increased resistance.

Governance

Top-Down Planning: A lack of community engagement and participatory approaches can lead to projects that don't align with local needs and preferences, leading to citizen resistance.

Ineffective Communication: Poor communication between local authorities, developers, and residents can lead to misinformation, misunderstanding, and distrust.

Political Interference: Political agendas and interference in planning decisions can undermine good planning outcomes and public trust.

Weak Urban Governance: Limited fiscal capacity, insufficient skills within municipalities, and complex regulatory environments can hinder the implementation of urban development projects and sustainable initiatives.

Financial & Resource Concerns

Limited Financial Capacity: Cities and citizens may face financial constraints that limit their ability to invest in urban development.

Revenue Volatility: Fluctuations in revenue can make it challenging for municipalities to fund necessary projects and services.

Insufficient Funding: Lack of funding or difficulty accessing financial resources can hinder the implementation of urban development plans.

Infrastructure Needs: Addressing aging infrastructure and financing necessary upgrades can be challenging for cities, potentially impacting residents' willingness to support new developments.

Ultimately, I understand most every reason brought up regarding resisting the protests. If people believe city residents are the source of the problems that cities have, and they don’t live in them, then it’s their problem. If people abhor disorder more than the crimes and injustices within cities, they’ll share that view. If someone views improving the quality of life in cities as a cost that doesn’t benefit them directly, they’ll balk.

But in the end, this is a prominent feature of the individualistic country that we live in. It can be acknowledged but never solved.

Unless the protests succeed.