Observed the first Monday in September, Labor Day is an annual patriotic celebration of the American Dream. The holiday began in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.
Many Americans celebrate Labor Day with picnics, parties, or a short vacation to end the summer. In the past, unions participated in parades and politicians spoke to the gathered crowds. Today, celebration of workers and their families is by provided by business owners, while government related services are closed.
Freedom Is Our Strength
The United States of America is the greatest nation in the world and the only nation with a dream. In America, your future is not dictated by the government or social and economic class systems. You’re free to choose your destiny and leave a legacy, experiencing failures and successes that other people around the world can’t imagine – freedom of speech, religion, and property rights.
America brings in half the world’s immigrants each year. America is the most tolerant, multi-racial country in the world. America is the most valuable country with the most Olympic medals, most Nobel Peace Prizes, most generous and benevolent, most creative, and most entrepreneurial, Capitalism has lifted millions of Americans out of poverty. America leads the world in medical advancements, technology innovation, transportation improvements, extended life expectancy, and abundant food.
What Is Your American Dream?
I was born 6 weeks premature, barely 4 pounds, missing parts of 2 fingers on my right hand, and didn’t look like other children in many ways. In other cultures, I would have been killed or institutionalized. Even though divorced, my father and mother loved me unconditionally and instilled a belief in God, hard work, and the ability to achieve.
I knew harsh ridicule at a young age and while I worked hard for the privilege just to play sports, academics was where I shined earning a scholarship to the Collins School of Business – as the first in my family to go to college. Four years of math and English from tiny Preston High School allowed me to thrive, landing an internship at a Fortune 500 firm, and eventually owning my own company in the ultra-competitive technology industry.
Only in the USA, could a poor handicapped kid from rural Oklahoma rise to become America’s Cyberist, helping thousands by streamlining technology.
History and Facts
- “Nine-Hour Movement” from Canada is generally cited as the origin of Labor Day.
- On September 1882 in New York City, there was a parade from City Hall to Welden’s Elm Park of 10,000 union workers giving up a days pay and drinking beer.
- By 1887, Oregon, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Colorado made Labor Day a state holiday.
- Controversial Haymarket Affair in Chicago with widely differing accounts was one of several incidents that led the Federal government to make Labor Day the first Monday in September.
- Matthew Maguire, a machinist, and Peter McGuire, a carpenter, each from rival unions have been credited with the 1882 New York City parade.
- Progressive Democrat President Grover Cleveland signed Labor Day as a national holiday for federal workers into law in 1894 to cover opposition to the labor movement with federal troops killing dozens during the Pullman Railroad Strike.
- The holiday has evolved over the years from parades and labor speeches to now marking the end of the summer season.
- White clothing worn after Labor Day used to be discouraged as a faux pas signifying you were flaunting still being on vacation, the tradition is no longer followed.
- Labor Day is the unofficial end of Hot Dog season – although I’m sure the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council wants you to continue eating this uniquely American creation.
- There are 7.2 million government and public sector union workers as of 2020.
- The National Education Association is America’s largest government union of approximately 3 million educators.
Chase Opportunity
When I talk to young people today I share the following work advice:
- Learn the difference between regulated and unregulated jobs. Had I known, I might have been a banker instead. For certain in an unregulated industry, you have to create something to be truly successful.
- Pay to learn a skill unless your education is subsidized. As a small child, I was consistently told that if I excelled at school the government would pay for my college education. As a Valedictorian with a high ACT, the best scholarship was from a private university for half tuition with a work study program that didn’t cover the remainder. There was very little help from the government with tuition and competition exponentially higher now.
- Analyze the food, drink, and drugs you ingest daily. Whether it’s your iPhone or Fitbit, it’s fast and easy to track. If you’re not guzzling coffee and chain-smoking cigarettes or worse, then you have more time and money and make better decisions. I drank coffee for 25 years before I read one the most popular doctor articles on LinkedIn that talked about caffeine causing you to make poor decisions. The food pyramid is junk, so you should research what your ancestors ate and realize you’re not a robot – but always need to run at a calorie deficit.
- Measure your goals daily. Whether your goals are quantitative like losing weight or qualitative like a closer relationship with your spouse, the question is what are you doing to achieve your goal each day? Controlling your emotions and spurious feelings about success and failure is not taught in schools. Like every mundane thing, it must be practiced and improved for more joy in life.
Labor Day Cybersecurity
However you celebrate Labor Day, you’ll likely be using technology. Don’t be scared but do be mindful. Political rhetoric will rage often instigated by foreign state cyber-terrorists using malware to steal your identity or ransomware to shut down your business. Everything you do today is cataloged or tracked, whether you disable settings and use MFA, a VPN, InPrivate or your favorite acronym.
Labor Day is often the second or third busiest commerce day in the year, so you’re encouraged to use a phone app for shopping for better security. Know you’re being tracked and act accordingly. Be nice to people and know they don’t have to be nice to you. When you return to work on Monday, know that your inbox likely has over a dozen Labor Day scams and report any unusual activity to your supervisor immediately.
Celebrate Our American Dream
It’s often forgotten that child labor, slavery, and servitude were eliminated in the USA over 150 years ago, while those atrocities continue to flourish in most of the rest of the world. All Americans regardless of gender, race, color, religion or disabilities (real or perceived) are allowed to work. In a free market system, people are free to make choices You can give up, give in to the whims of government or others, or have a purpose and work to leave a legacy and set a noble example for others.
Celebrate Labor Day as you wish. Know that the rest of the world has a regular workday trying to eliminate our way of life. Regardless of your beliefs, I want to thank everyone for their contribution to America and especially all those people that helped me. In America, everyone is provided opportunity NOT mutual riches or success – and no American can deny that your choices shape your life and current situation.