May Day Not the May Pole Event of Yesterday

Welcome to May Day, which has been commonly defined as labor day in most of the world other than the United States and the UK. The first of May means different things to different people, personally to me it means the day when spring really sets in. You can read more about the history of May Day on Wikipedia. One interesting little nugget of knowledge was May 1st, 1866 was the enactment day for the eight hour work week in the United States.

Oddly, the eight hour day is really not a standard in Virginia. In my last job my regular work day was 9 hours, without lunch or breaks and often extended to 12 hours. Some days I even worked as long as 20 hours. My work week was generally six days a week, but that often turned into seven. And I am not alone, many in Virginia work a similar schedule. So much for the eight hour day. But I am not complaining, I really enjoyed my work.

Today it will be marked by Mexicans in America boycotting work, school, and of course more demonstrations. But it will also be a day of rallies, and actions from the the other side of the immigration issue. From Michelle Malkin site is a listing of events across the country that will doubtfully get media coverage.

May Day is also the international distress call. When a pilot barks across his radio May Day, you know there is trouble. Mexicans who are now in our country, our demanding our attention. They say we cannot survive without them. They are arguing that the mass of illegals that are crossing our borders works as an important symbiosis that we as Americans cannot do without.

Personally, I am thinking of that great burrito that I get at a local Mexican restaurant. I would have a hard time thinking that it would no longer exist. But could I live without it, I think so. So this day, marked by their boycotts, and protests, which sounds like they are in so much distress, for finding a better life illegally in United States, is falling on my deaf ears.