Labor Day hits a little different this year, as there are elements outside our assembly seeking to fracture the coalition of pragmatic conservatives. The noise is louder, the distractions more intense and the stakes of resetting the economic balance sheet in favor of Main Street are higher. For all of those reasons and more, it seems more difficult to keep moving forward with economic nationalism as the roadmap.
However, we remind ourselves that everything of great purpose comes from within, and from a loving God. As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn famously said:
“The simple step of a courageous individual is not to take part in the lie. One word of truth outweighs the world.”
It’s Labor Day in America. We pause and celebrate work, productivity, problem solving, and the value of our workforce. A nation built on ingenuity – so long as we tend the flickering flame of liberty. So, to all of you who do not take part in the grand lies and manipulations that surround us, THANK YOU!
No other nation on earth was conceived to allow people to manifest their own destiny while keeping government out of their lives. The vision, the premise and the purpose, was to allow you the freedom to determine your place in life; and even, at any time, change that determination and strike off in an entirely new direction.
Our American labor and aspirations would not be pre-determined by caste, tier, creed or social status; but rather by our personal vision for our own future. The right of self-determination. This is a uniquely American attribute.
Labor Day is a moment when we reflect on the value of work, the great benefit of endeavors achieved, the pride in accomplishment -regardless of scale- amid this thing we call life. But ultimately, all of these considerations have absolutely nothing to do with the money we assemble in the process. We ain’t taking any of it with us folks.
When you hold open the door, you make a difference. When you choose to stand against fraud and deceit, you make a difference. When you pray with purpose you make a difference. When you hold no tolerance for chaos, you make a difference. When you show up, even when you are not sure what comes next, you make a difference. When you achieve in silence because silence is not a mistake, you make a difference.
It is who you are that makes a difference. That is the currency of our life.
Regardless of your chosen occupation or effort, you do it well. You live your standard. You have paid the price for your peace. Be proud of yourself. Allow the method of your labor to express the value of who you are and celebrate the accomplishment.
You matter!
Thank you for your fellowship and for your kindness.
With warmest personal regards,
Happy Labor Day!
Happy Labor Day to all Treepers, active and retired! And a special call out to Sundance for putting in Trumpian hours for many years! You’re a hard act to follow. I’ve worked big jobs on four hours sleep for a few months at a time, but I had breaks occasionally. My motto is “Cheap labor ain’t skilled and skilled labor ain’t cheap!”
Well Said Sundance!! Please know that all of us true followers appreciate all of the work you do to keep us informed of the truth, whether we like it or not!
“Our American labor and aspirations would not be pre-determined by caste, tier, creed or social status; but rather by our personal vision for our own future. The right of self-determination. This is a uniquely American attribute.“
This says it all. Everyone has that opportunity to better themselves if they strive to do so.
The last six words are the important ones.
God established work for Adam in the Garden of Eden before the fall. Purposeful work is part of his original intent for mankind. I am grateful for meaningful work – whether it is paid or unpaid. Work is deeply satisfying.
Nobody wants to be a gardener. Most pay an illegal to do that. But gardening is a splendid thing, and pulling weeds is priceless. Yet, people give it little thought or value.
Adam was not being punished when he was put there.
Honest.
Thank you for all you do, Sundance.
When I had my first daughter I went back to work and put my daughter in day care. After a month she was developing a yeast infection on her tiny little buttocks. I took her to the doctor and his first question to me was if I had put her in daycare. I said yes and he told me this was not unexpected, it happens. I went home and cried. I so wanted to stay home and be the mom my mom was not. My husband said then BE that mom. I put my two weeks’ notice in at work and never looked back.
Every time I look at the scars on my husband body from 40 years of working. Burn scars from welding and gash scars from climbing steel columns it reminds me of why I love him. He worked long hard hours sometimes indoors but mostly outside in all the elements of all four seasons. He woke up ate his breakfast and went to work, never once complained. He came home to a home where he had a hot meal, clean house and three children and a wife who appreciated how hard he worked so we could have what we had. It was financially tight at times, for us it was feast or famine, but my husband has always had a positive attitude and unbeknownst to him I was saver so the famine times were not as bad as they could have been. Somehow some way he never lost his faith. Eventually I did go back to work part-time but that was after my youngest entered middle school. It was just to give me something to do. I am so grateful that God brought this man who labored not just for his family but God.
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God blessed you with your husband, Blanche, and your husband with you.
And he blessed you both with children you could care for and raise together — which, I’m sure, was an entirely different job you both took on with joy.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful Labor Day story.
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Hats off to all the hard working patriots out there! 🇺🇸💕
God Bless America. God Bless all the work from Sundance and Team. I truly am a better person for the knowledge and insight I have acquired from this site. I had a nice talk the other day with an old friend I used to supervise at a Tampa company. He did not understand why the Iran conflict, why Trump has hired so many extra ICE agents (and him having to pay for them) , why we “invaded” Venezuela, why Trump is spending tax payer money on the ballroom. I explained the reasons and where money was coming from. He genuinely had no, zero, none, nada idea where I got my information from. Between his choice of media and his boys and their “fireside chats” this is 50% of our country. Great Labor Day to all.
Happy Labor Day to all Treehouse members.
I feel blessed this year, as it it the first time in my life, since I was 13, that I have not labored for pay, after a lifetime of work.
There is a photo on the wall in a bbq place near me of the cook who says in a caption below, “Everybody wants to save the world. Nobody wants to wash the dishes.”
So true. I called to order a pizza the other day. The girl repeated the order back asking if I wanted one large cheese and one large sausage pizza. Doh!!!
No, I asked for one large cheese and sausage. Then when I picked up my order she could not make change but was wearing a college shirt. I asked if she went there and what she was studying. (Yes, and Criminal Justice.)
My goodness. We need more people to wash dishes before they get degrees. Experience is a great teacher of common sense. What she’ll learn taking pizza orders is going to help her more than she knows. Good for her for getting a job.
Labor Day is over. It’s just after 1am and I am working my usual overnight shift. Although late, here is my post to and for Labor Day.
Huey Lewis & The News….”Working For A Living”:
Thank you SunDance
A little history
Labor Day is a U.S. federal holiday celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor the achievements and contributions of American workers. It is intended to honor workers. It highlights the history of the labor movement and trade unions. It also serves as the unofficial end of summer for many families and students.
History and Origin
In the late 1800s, many people worked 12-16 hour days in unsafe conditions. On September 5, 1882, workers held a parade in New York City to demand better pay and hours. In 1894 after a major railroad strike President Grover Cleveland signed Labor Day into law as a national holiday
In an appreciative America towns and cities host public gatherings and marches and people spend the long three-day weekend camping, picnicking, or having barbecues.
Note: It also marks the start of the college and professional football seasons
Labor Day was created (mainly due to AFL head Samuel Gompers) as a US alternative to May Day, used by the internationalist labor movement. I see Mandami is opening a new NYC office to promote union organizing. Labor Day isn’t about workers, it’s about working class solidarity.
It’s Labor Day, not Union Day, much less Socialist Day.
I took Labor Day off from all things except my family. I’m on a beautiful barrier island on the coast of North Carolina on vacation for the first time in five years. Sundance, thank you for the information and inspiration you give me. Glad I kept scrolling until I found this.