Feliĉa Tago de la Laboro

So, it seems Labor Day is the day we all get together and pretend to celebrate the working class, while ignoring both the sacrifices made by early labor organizers and trade unionists to obtain the benefits we all enjoy today and the growing inequity in the distribution of wealth and income in our country.

Enjoy the holiday from your labors, whatever they may be, but let's keep our eyes open. Here's a sample of (hopefully) thought-provoking items from around the web:

• Even the government recognizes that Labor Day was intended to celebrate "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations."

• Here's an overview of the reversal of economic trends since the heyday of unions.

• An editorial from North Carolina that recounts the narrative of labor history that many people today have forgotten or never knew.

• Another editorial from Massachusetts talking about the importance of a living wage.

So, as the presidential proclamation exhorts us: observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor the contributions and resilience of working Americans.

And just so you don't think I'm too much of wet blanket, have fun, too!