this labor day

We are celebrating one of our national holidays, whose origin was to honor and acknowledge the men and women of America for their continuous labor helping to make this country prosper. We realized whether it be working the land as farmers, ranchers, protectors of this land as first responders, medical workers, building the infrastructure of the land, steel workers, construction workers or a variety of other occupations, that the energy and effort we put forth to work should be heralded and honored.

However in the past year or two it seems that the worker, the laborer has suddenly become the antithesis to what has and can make America great and good. It seems that all the monetary woes, the moral destruction, the day to day problems are being blamed on the worker, the laborer. No longer is the American way to seek a better life, but now it is called selfishness and insincerity when workers want fair minimum wage, benefits to keep them healthy and in safe in their later years. No longer is obtaining a middle class life considered patriotic, rather it is deemed as a greedy gluttonous lifestyle doomed to the destruction of democracy by the worker, the laborer. No longer is the greater good of the many a priority, rather the small needs of a few becoming the norm. The worker, the laborer is the scoundrel,the hoodlum, the cause of the potential downfall of America.

The banks are closed, the post offices not open. The department stores are heralding sales of summer clothes and beckoning the purchasing of winter ware. We place our flags outside our front doors. We woefully wish summer goodbye and embark upon the falling leaves and cooler temperatures. Some cities and towns with money left in their budgets hold a parade with local high school bands a few police cars and fire trucks. And we celebrate Labor Day as if we were still a nation filled with proud workers, laborers. And we celebrate Labor Day as if was a Hallmark Card boastfully shouting that workers and laborers are the keystone to this American life. We celebrate Labor day as if unemployment, underemployment are nonexistent, as if workers, laborers don’t have to decide between food, health care lodging, as if their voices were equal to businesses, corporations, politicians.

We sometimes think in this great nation of ours that if we hum some patriotic song, pledge allegiance to the flag, invoke God’s name, color our homes and selves in red white and blue being all things defined as American that we are okay, alright. We hear from those who we choose to listen how good things are or how unfair things are or how misunderstood our point of view is being touted. We are filled with propaganda and prose about taking sides. We have become divided, divisive, demonizing.

And now in this country where we celebrate Labor Day 2011, people are starving, losing their homes, foregoing medical treatment, begging for work. People are asking why, why me, how come and when will this dark night turn into a bright rainbow? It is Labor Day 2011 and for me I wonder about the meaning of a holiday that once proudly bragged about what is good with America and Americans. I am not so sure of the meaning of this holiday this year or the future of this holiday, this Labor Day.