This Labor Day, in addition to enjoying barbecues and celebrating the end of a relentlessly hot summer, Quotidian Dissent would like to recall the history of the holiday. It sprung forth from a protest:
The original inspiration of Labor Day was a protest of the traditional 12 hour work day. Worker strikes, boycotts, unrest and even riots laid the groundwork for labor reform and a dedicated day off honoring all American workers, with rallies and parades starting in 1882. The first parade was the result of the US troops opening fire on striking workers in New York City that year.
Two years later…the famous Pullman coach worker’s strike against the nation’s railroads literally shut down commerce coast to coast and erupted in violence. With over 125,000 railroad workers striking, 13 strikers were killed and more than 50 injured in a riot in Chicago. Later that year, the first Monday in September was sanctioned by the Federal government as a national holiday.
Thankfully, labor laws have come a long way since then; the only people gathered outside the White House today were tourists. -QD
On this edition of The Ruckus: swearing for nature, a $1 revolution, and Chinese prostitutes.
- Environmental activists armed with only F-bombs and T-shirts have embarked on a campaign to clean up the Gulf of Mexico. The organization UnF—ck the Gulf sells “UnF—ck” shirts in support of charities working to clean-up the BP oil spill (see their R-rated video here.)
- A new website, Armchair Revolution, aims to gather funds for worthy causes iTunes style - $.99 at a time. Its users can channel their support for causes and participate in activism through on-line gaming.
- Thousands gathered in defiance of a curfew (intended to quell civil unrest) in India-controlled Kashmir. Four curfew-breakers were killed and 20 injured, while similar protests erupted around the country.
- Musicians against Arizona’s controversial immigration joined together in a group called The Sound Strike to boycott the state. The band Bright Eyes debuted a new protest song against the law. Taking a different tack, Lady Gaga refused to cancel her Arizona concert, in which she declared, “I will not cancel my show. I will hold you, and we will hold each other, and we will protest this state.”
- In Russia, protesters gathered to demand freedom of assembly. Half of them were arrested.
- In China, sex workers circulated a petition denouncing government crackdowns on their professions (of which there are over 4 million members).
- Over 500 pilots and flight attendants demonstrated against possible job cuts in the financially troubled Mexicana de Aviacion airline in Mexico City’s Airport. The airline’s financial troubles forced it to cancel several routine flights this week, adding fuel to the fire.
That’s all for this edition of The Ruckus, bringing you the latest in protest from around the globe!
