Happy Labor Day America!

Take the day off if you can… I don’t like to use this blog as a soapbox since there are plenty of them out there but every once in a while…

Labor Day has been celebrated on the first Monday in September in the United States since the 1880s. The origins of the American Labor Day can be traced back to the Knights of Labor in the United States and a parade organized by that group and held on September 5, 1882 in New York City. The US Department of Labor’s web site has this to say about Labor Day:

“Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”

Today, Labor Day is generally regarded as a day for picnics, barbecues, water activities and other family activities. It is also important tonote that there are an increasing number of businesses that are NOT closed for this holiday.

A Modern Labor Day truth as the labor movements of the American past are made a mockery by current corporate tactics.

In the wake of NAFTA and other “free” trade agreements American labor doesn’t have much to celebrate.

Not all is lost though things are not as good as they appear here (or anywhere else I would imagine). But at least here in American the people could still make things change for the better but at the moment that is a long shot. I don’t see much of the American Individualism that has made us who we are. Instead we have been cowed into a life of Acceptance. Acceptance of political correctness, acceptance of liberty for security, acceptence of corporate ownership and acceptance of low expectations from our elected officials. Until We the People decide we don’t want to accept these things any more not much is going to change. You will know that is happening when you start to see some individuals speaking up in uncomfortable situations because they aren’t going to accept *it* any more. Hope they start speaking up before we loose the right to do so…

* _{I do not have the sources for these images but hope it is ok with the authors that I post them here. If you know the owner or are the owner please let me know so I can get the appropriate permissions. Thanks.}

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