I am, indeed, back for today, and yesterday I wasn’t sneezy at all, today, I am again which feels unfair. Maybe this time it is allergies.
Who knows.
It’s another beautiful day here in Chicago, with the threat of a military invasion by our own government looming over us. A quiet Bike the Drive gave way to a sunny Sunday, and yet the specter remains.
Amidst the BBQs and picnics and other mayhem sure to unfurl today, though, it’s a vital time to remember the background of Labor Day, and the people who died, literally died, for basic rights in the workplace.
I just saw an article that described donald as perhaps the worst president in history for labor, and that’s among some serious humdingers.
At the same time donald and republicans–yes ALL republicans, yes this has always been their agenda–take a meat shredder to labor rights, they are also dismantling all safety nets. And even the ones that remain now built-in traps. If you earn any money at all, essentially, you don’t qualify. But if you qualify, they’re not going to help all that much.
It’s weighing heavily on me today because a friend, we call her “Essay” which is her handle, because she goes by S. A., (she’s a clever one) from my Friday movie group is in a terrible financial crunch. She has health issues and with those come medical bills. And situation that was tenuous at best months ago is now very much on the edge.
Many of you are in the exact same situation. Perhaps less dire; maybe more so.
And the medical interferes with the basics, like food, shelter, and even health. Round and round we go.
And the thing is, she works. SHE WORKS. No one should be under the stress, in the financial position in which she finds herself, while working.
No one should be in the financial position at all, that is why we have government programs, but apparently we don’t need to spend money on that, we need to spend money on sending the military into a US city that isn’t even in the top 20 of murder rates.
Indianapolis has a higher murder rate than Chicago, and you don’t see talk of the National Guard there.
The republican government would rather create a vast force terrorize the citizenry, abuse, kidnap, and disappear people who are completely compliant legally than support citizens for basic needs.
Republicans would rather dismantle all power of labor, all rights of labor, all basic dignities of labor, while crushing us under a boot with lifts.
Give a thought to those who died for work weeks and breaks and safety regulations and ending child labor and minimum wages. Give a thought to people like Essay, whose toil cannot keep up with costs (and if you can spare anything to her GoFundMe, or buy her book, please do).
And give a thought to the now we want, the future we want, because what is happening is only going to intensify and worsen if we cannot dislodge the spreading mold at the top.
If that mold is still alive. I read somewhere someone said it was a body double.
That’s what people are saying, anyway.
Have a safe and wonderful holiday.
A Bit to Read 
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