Which national holiday would you cite as the least celebrated? Put another way, when did you last propose a toast to organized labor? Or, when you got up today, who were you most anxious to contact to wish them well?
The last time I recall actively thinking about Labor Day was years ago when someone much younger than I declared that unions were an "obsolete" concept. Like many past conversations, I've since re-played that unsettling one in my head, persuasively and articulately demolishing the wrongheadedness of that simplistic statement. Wouldn't it be great if real life worked like that?
What actually happened was less dramatic and wholly unsatisfying. I found myself getting emotional and had trouble putting a single coherent sentence together. Perhaps the word fairness crossed my mind. I do recall thinking of my father's life as a working man and the importance of unions for him. But recounting that piece of ancient history would not have helped me deconstruct the word obsolete for the clueless individual who'd used it.
That bad-tasting, long-ago conversation had faded from memory until I got up this morning and noticed the holiday. When the memory returned, I discovered I was no longer disappointed in my inadequate response. Instead, I welcomed the memory because it broke back thoughts of my dad as well as the importance of this under-celebrated holiday. Any day I remember to honor my dad is a good day, holiday aside.
Reflections From The Bell Curve: What Holiday?
Hey Pat. To me, Labor Day has been more than just the unofficial end of Summer and start of Back to School season - although that has started so much earlier in the past few years. Sort of like Christmas decorations going up in stores prior to Halloween. And although I am a firm believer and supporter of not only Labor Day, but of Unions, perhaps the reason that the word 'obsolete' was used may have been because of the alleged rise in corruption in some Unions. I would always like to believe that the reason why Unions were started remains the primary reasons for them today. And although I have been known to be naive at times, I am not so much to think that there isn't corruption in some unions. However, and for the many, many, people and organizations that benefit by having Unions, and to honor those that belonged to them, including your Dad, Happy Labor Day !!
ReplyDeleteBe well,
Bob
Bob; Thanks for the comment and the support of organized labor. I never want to return to the days when working people had no voice in how they were treated by business.
Delete