Happy Labor Day boys and girls, good night, and fair wages for all.

 

 

In the late 1800s, many Americans toiled 12 hours a day, seven days a week, often in physically demanding, low-paying jobs. Children worked too, on farms and in factories and mines. Conditions were often harsh and unsafe.

It was in this context that American workers held the first Labor Day parade, marching from New York’s City Hall to a giant picnic at an uptown park on Sept. 5, 1882.

The America Labor movement had begun and over the next century we would see a minimum wage, 40 hour work week, child protection laws, etc..  

So my fellow humans, on this Labor Day 2021 I say: Put labor back in Labor Day.  I say this the same way some Christians say: Put Christ back in Christmas.  And just as they want to see a return to the days when Christmas was a day to honor Christ -- something I can't find in any history books, but I understand their plea -- I say, put Labor back in Labor Day.  Maybe I'm just as blind as the Christians on this one.  Maybe "Labor" never was in Labor Day.  

Thoughts for you on this Labor Day.  Happy Labor Day. 

 And on a Nichiren Buddhist note let me remind you that Nichiren Daishonin was the founder of this faith that has changed my life in so many ways, none more notable than saving my life by giving me a pain in my chest when I chanted which turned out to be my early diagnosis of lung cancer which they got in time to remove.  The doctors were all dumbfounded saying, "There is no way that that early stage of a cancer node caused you any pain."   

Nichiren established the chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the Gohonzon as the universal practice for attaining enlightenment.  The name Nichiren means sun lotus, and Daishonin is an honorific title that means great sage. 

Now you know. 

Happy Labor Day boys and girls, good night, and fair wages for all. 

-- Dr TV Boogie