Happy May Day

[Warsie]

Today is International Workers' Day, the celebration of the sacrifices of the Haymarket Martyrs and those killed in the massacre at Haymarket Square.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Workers_Day

http://chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/d ... /index.php

In a related note, on May Day 2008, Immigrant Rights, Anti-War and Labor forces are organizing to hold a protest to celebrate this day,

[MKSheppard]

In a related note, on May Day 2008, Immigrant Rights, Anti-War and Labor forces are organizing to hold a protest to celebrate this day,

You know, at times I wish SDN had some sort of crossout feature, like HTML; so I could strike out "Immigrant rights" in that and replace it with something more appropriate, like "illegal aliens want to have their cake and eat it too"

[K. A. Pital]

1st May hurrah!

We had a blast out of it here.

[Mange]

An utterly outdated concept, a relic which I can't fathom is still being "celebrated".

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

An utterly outdated concept, a relic which I can't fathom is still being "celebrated".

Considering that not all workers in the world are accorded basic rights?

Or is this anti-communist knee jerk reaction?

[Mange]

An utterly outdated concept, a relic which I can't fathom is still being "celebrated".

Considering that not all workers in the world are accorded basic rights?

Or is this anti-communist knee jerk reaction?

Part anti-communist (yes, I'm tired of all the damn red flags, some adorned with the hammer and sickle, I don't think socialism or communism is part of any solution) and most placards here does not express solidarity with workers, but are expressing political agendas (mostly concerning the U.S.). I also think it's an outdated mode of thinking when people, with different basic conditions, are lumped together and are referred to as a "class".

[His Divine Shadow]

It's an excuse to brew mead and take a day off from work. Can't complain.

[Mange]

It's an excuse to brew mead and take a day off from work. Can't complain.

Well, I agree that the day off from work is an incitement...

[K. A. Pital]

An utterly outdated concept, a relic which I can't fathom is still being "celebrated".

Well sure dude, try living in the Third or Second world before spewing out that knee jerk.

The holiday is great, the demonstrations are good, and we have 3 days off on May 1st so we couldn't care less.

[Mange]

An utterly outdated concept, a relic which I can't fathom is still being "celebrated".

Well sure dude, try living in the Third or Second world before spewing out that knee jerk.

Well, since your holy grail has failed, I see no reason to manifest it through those means.

The holiday is great, the demonstrations are good, and we have 3 days off on May 1st so we couldn't care less.

I certainly don't agree with the mobs in the street, but otherwise I agree.

[Gustav32Vasa]

I'm tired of all the damn red flags, some adorned with the hammer and sickle,

Where did you see red flags?
I havent seen any.

I don't think socialism or communism is part of any solution

So you're happy with Reinfeldt and the rest of our current goverment?

[Sarevok]

It is with much amusement I notice that the "trendy" and "hip" mobile phone companies did not even send a SMS to commemorate this occasion. They would waste considerable sums in ad campaigns and events on valentines day, earth day, friendship day. Basically any day that is an excuse to celebrate "youth" through "edgy" events. Yeah I am sure the down trodden laborers who keep this country running appreciate the fact that exchanging wrist bands by upper middle class children on some friendship day in august every year is more newsworthy than their back breaking work.

[apocolypse]

An utterly outdated concept, a relic which I can't fathom is still being "celebrated".

Considering that not all workers in the world are accorded basic rights?

Or is this anti-communist knee jerk reaction?

I think that depending on the POV, Mange has a point. I have a rather severe dislike for May Day. It isn't because I'm for the oppression of workers or anything of the nature, but because here in the US it's just a tool for the socialist/legalize the illegals front.

We don't even get the day off either as our Labor Day is in September.

[LadyTevar]

We don't even get the day off either as our Labor Day is in September.

I get Labor Day off....

[Coyote]

An utterly outdated concept, a relic which I can't fathom is still being "celebrated".

Considering that not all workers in the world are accorded basic rights?

Or is this anti-communist knee jerk reaction?

Part anti-communist (yes, I'm tired of all the damn red flags, some adorned with the hammer and sickle, I don't think socialism or communism is part of any solution)

I don't think that Socialism or Communism provides a whole answer, but I do feel that elements of Socialism and Communism are worth adopting. Workers worldwide are always shat on.

...and most placards here does not express solidarity with workers, but are expressing political agendas (mostly concerning the U.S.). I also think it's an outdated mode of thinking when people, with different basic conditions, are lumped together and are referred to as a "class".

But class happens, even if we're uncomfortable facing it. But, yeah, just plain America-bashing makes the May Day concept something distasteful for most Americans, and if there's one country in the world that needs to consider what the companies are doing to their people, its the USA.

"There are no people more enslaved that those who mistakenly believe themselves to be free"
--Goethe.

[Coyote]

One of my fave songs: By the Dropkick Murphys
"The Worker's Song"

Yeh, this one's for the workers who toil night and day
By hand and by brain to earn your pay
Who for centuries long past for no more than your bread
Have bled for your countries and counted your dead

In the factories and mills, in the shipyards and mines
We've often been told to keep up with the times
For our skills are not needed, they've streamlined the job
And with sliderule and stopwatch our pride they have robbed

[ Chorus: ]
We're the first ones to starve the first ones to die
The first ones in line for that pie-in-the-sky
And always the last when the cream is shared out
For the worker is working when the fat cat's about

And when the sky darkens and the prospect is war
Who's given a gun and then pushed to the fore
And expected to die for the land of our birth
Though we've never owned one lousy handful of earth?

[ Chorus x3 ]

All of these things the worker has done
From tilling the fields to carrying the gun
We've been yoked to the plough since time first began
And always expected to carry the can

[His Divine Shadow]

So you're happy with Reinfeldt and the rest of our current goverment?

Better than what they replaced atleast.

[Oskuro]

An utterly outdated concept, a relic which I can't fathom is still being "celebrated".

I agree, it's just like the 2008-years-old celebrations regarding certain mythological beings! Completely outdated!

</sarcasm>

Even if the injustices suffered by the working class worldwide were no longer an issue, having a memorial day to remind everyone not to take things for granted is not an outdated concept.

[Kanastrous]

One of my fave songs: By the Dropkick Murphys
"The Worker's Song"

That's good, but you can't go wrong with the classics...

Arise ye workers from your slumbers
Arise ye prisoners of want
For reason in revolt now thunders
And at last ends the age of cant.
Away with all your superstitions
Servile masses arise, arise
We'll change henceforth the old tradition
And spurn the dust to win the prize.

So comrades, come rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale unites the human race.
So comrades, come rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale unites the human race.

No more deluded by reaction
On tyrants only we'll make war
The soldiers too will take strike action
They'll break ranks and fight no more
And if those cannibals keep trying
To sacrifice us to their pride
They soon shall hear the bullets flying
We'll shoot the generals on our own side.

No saviour from on high delivers
No faith have we in prince or peer
Our own right hand the chains must shiver
Chains of hatred, greed and fear
E'er the thieves will out with their booty
And give to all a happier lot.
Each at the forge must do their duty
And we'll strike while the iron is hot.

[Mange]

I'm tired of all the damn red flags, some adorned with the hammer and sickle,

Where did you see red flags?
I havent seen any.

They're quite common around here.

I don't think socialism or communism is part of any solution

So you're happy with Reinfeldt and the rest of our current goverment?[/quote]
Well, it's an improvement after the "red-green" mess and while I don't support all the policies of the government of course, I think they've done a lot in certain areas. They've repealed property tax which had a poor foundation which led to injustices and targeted the educational system which has been moving away from teaching facts to teach that knowledge is relative and subjective (and where the word "grades" is a bad word).

Then there are things I don't like. I'm a strong supporter of public health care, and I'm worried about some of the signals coming from the Moderate party. I also see the need that everyone should have access to decent and affordable housing and I'm concerned that some parties of the Alliance, most notably the Moderate party, are advocating the sale of public housing.

So all in all, I think the government is doing a good job, but that it could be doing a lot better (I believe in a more social liberal approach).

[Mange]

And Stas, my apologies, it wasn't my intention to come off as a douche.

[salm]

I was in Berlin and they had more black flags than red ones. However, the riots were a bit lame since apparently everyone had gone to Hamburg to riot there.
It was quite fun to watch the rioters throw bottles and stones and we had to flee from the cops going in a couple of times.
They arrested 120 or so.
Analyising the cops tactics was quite nice and it appears that they worked pretty well.
It all seemed a bit staged and even as if everybody was having fun. Even the cops.