Hey Everyone!!
Today, I'd just like to share some musings I've been musing on. ;-) The more I read about the labor movement of the early 20th century, the more I realize we're living in the 21st-century version of those times. Hell, we've even got our own Franklin Delano Sanders, if we can just keep the modern day robber-barons from sabotaging his campaign again long enough to get him into the White House.
It's a shame and crime this topic gets no more than a passing mention in school history classes. There was so much real-life heroism in those labor leaders, I see it reflected in some of the voices that have captured national attention in recent years. Looking back through the lens of history, it seems like a lot of the victories happened because someone had enough and convinced enough others who'd had enough to stand with them against the power structure. And then they all just put one foot in front of the other and kept doing that -- refusing to give up or give in, no matter how hard the powers that be tried to get them to knuckle under -- until they got what they needed.
But, then, isn't that the story of the quintessential American hero? Hell, I've seen metaphorical versions of similar stories made into superhero movies. Only the people who led the labor movement weren't superheroes; they were just regular people, no different from thee and me. The fact that they won is a testament to how powerful a people united who declare that they Will. Not. Obey. can be.
Which begs the question, how bad does it have to get, now? At what point will enough people say enough and draw their line in the sand? When will we all find the spines our grandparents and great grandparents found and say, "No more!" And how bad will it be before we get to that point?
Peace!
Today, I'd just like to share some musings I've been musing on. ;-) The more I read about the labor movement of the early 20th century, the more I realize we're living in the 21st-century version of those times. Hell, we've even got our own Franklin Delano Sanders, if we can just keep the modern day robber-barons from sabotaging his campaign again long enough to get him into the White House.
It's a shame and crime this topic gets no more than a passing mention in school history classes. There was so much real-life heroism in those labor leaders, I see it reflected in some of the voices that have captured national attention in recent years. Looking back through the lens of history, it seems like a lot of the victories happened because someone had enough and convinced enough others who'd had enough to stand with them against the power structure. And then they all just put one foot in front of the other and kept doing that -- refusing to give up or give in, no matter how hard the powers that be tried to get them to knuckle under -- until they got what they needed.
But, then, isn't that the story of the quintessential American hero? Hell, I've seen metaphorical versions of similar stories made into superhero movies. Only the people who led the labor movement weren't superheroes; they were just regular people, no different from thee and me. The fact that they won is a testament to how powerful a people united who declare that they Will. Not. Obey. can be.
Which begs the question, how bad does it have to get, now? At what point will enough people say enough and draw their line in the sand? When will we all find the spines our grandparents and great grandparents found and say, "No more!" And how bad will it be before we get to that point?
Peace!
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