Labor Day Q&A

Once again we are going into the last official weekend of summer. The "summer" casual Fridays will come to an end and the kids will all be back in school in earnest. [And for me, the tourists will finally give us a break in NYC!]. So let's take a few minutes to celebrate the American workers who toil tirelessly to keep the engines of commerce of this great nation running...in three parts.


Part I: From the Department of Labor website:

Labor Day: What it Means

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country...

Here's a link - The History Of Labor Day

So now that you have read all about the history of Labor Day as brought to you by the US Goverment, let's hear from a poet who celebrated the common laborer.

Part II: From poet Walt Whitman:

I Hear America Singing

BY WALT WHITMAN

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,
The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

Part III: Let's play a game! This is one of those hashtag games that was running around Twitter a week or so ago and, before it caused all sorts of "white privilege" angst amongst the complaining Twits, it was fun and enlightening.

Anyway, here are the questions [modified for space and time]:

1. What were your first 5 jobs?

2. What were your parents' first 3 jobs?

3. What were your grandparents' first 2 job?

Pick one question to answer or answer them all if you can.

Have a great Labor Day everyone!!

Note: 68 days until Election Day 2016.