Labor and socialism
Labor Day. History tells us that a day honoring workers – and by extension the American labor movement – was first proposed by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, forerunners to today’s trade unions. Oregon became the first state to recognize the day in 1887, and by 1894 it was recognized as a federal holiday after 30 states had established it. It has been the first Monday in September ever since.
Quickly becoming a bookend to Memorial Day, the two dates mark the unofficial beginning and end of the summer season, respectively. It has even become a demarcation line for fashion as white is never worn before Memorial Day or after Labor Day, we are told.
Since the tumultuous days of the early labor movement, one that prodded the early Progressive Movement, the day has ceased to be a glorification of union labor as it has to all American workers. Indeed, unlike the rest of the world that sees May 1 as International Workers Day, our holiday has taken on a more benign meaning. Labor, whatever form it takes, is seen as a good for society.
It is disheartening then to see leftward slant the nation has taken over the last few years, fueled by an education system that has morphed into anti-Americanism and distorted history. For while textbooks and other more recent publications – and college campuses – say they are trying to give a more balanced look at American history, in fact, they are focusing on negative events in our history, and trying to delegitimize its founding and its Constitution.
Socialism, the darling economic system of the faculty lounge and the academics with no experience in the real world – and politicians looking to salve their base – is now making a dangerous comeback. Bernie Sanders the Soviet-loving sometimes-Democrat Senator from Vermont, espouses it, while his current major rival Sen. Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts calls herself a capitalist. In fact, she is a fascist – another form of socialism – looking to have the government control private capital.
In an article this week in PJ Media, Roger L. Simon, one of the best writers in the nation makes this comment: “When I saw him speak in Des Moines during his first go-round as a presidential candidate, I thought I had been teleported back to 1912 and was listening to Eugene V. Debs, who ran for U.S. president as a socialist five times, vilifying capitalism at every turn. Only Debs had the excuse of spewing his destructive nonsense before Stalin and Mao murdered or starved to death tens of millions of their own people.”
This fact of history seems to be lost on our neo-socialist hoards today. They believe, “but that can’t happen here!” Socialism leads to totalitarianism, which leads to pogroms.
He makes one comment about Warren that is trenchant: “As last year’s news, however, he (Sanders) is losing ground these days to Elizabeth Warren, who claims to be sort of a capitalist but not really (just as she claimed to be sort of an Indian but not really).”
Socialism, a wonder system in the abstract has done more to harm the human condition and subjugate people in 150 years, than any other economic reality. With all its faults and problems, capitalism seeks to lift all boats with a rising tide of growth.
Unfortunately, academe does not work in the real world, but trains the minds of those who will. The evils of socialism must be put forward and shown for the illiberal system it is. Currently, this neo-socialist strain is already showing its colors with organizations such as Antifa, and the shutting down of free speech on the Internet and college campuses. It is a dangerous and slippery slope, and a gutter into which the nation cannot fall.