Labor Day – A Tribute
Being labor day, I thought I would take a few moments to write down some thoughts. Labor day, as you may or may not know, was created by a guy named McGuire back in the 1800′s. The only thing in dispute is which McGuire; Matthew or Peter. Regardless, the holiday was created to pay tribute to the American Worker. It was created to take time off from the labors of the day. Whether you are a construction worker, a taxi cab driver, an online marketer, a software engineer, a truck driver, an executive, a musician, or anything else, it’s time to enjoy a day off.
The United States was built on freedom, capitalism, ingenuity, and good old fashioned hard work. The greatest thing about living in and being a citizen of the United States is the fact that you can become whatever you want, make as much money as you want, live where you want, worship as you please, and complain about what ever you want so long as you are not disturbing the peace or taking away the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness of anyone else. We all enjoy the same freedoms, the same rights, and the same opportunities as every other citizen. The difference is what we choose to do with them.
The most disheartening observance I have been making as of late, is the idea that the government should take care of us. Many of our citizens are embracing this idea. Some would have the government take complete control of our lives. They feel it is a right to have a home, a car, health insurance, and many other things; and that the government should provide it. I am not certain why anyone would want to go back to that. Yes, I said go back to that. Have we forgotten our own history? Isn’t that part of why our ancestors left England (among other countries)? Due to the oppression of the ruling body within that country, the people decided they would rather be in control of their own destiny and not let a ruler decide for them. In the case of England, the King ruled and the people wanted their freedom. Roll forward a few hundred years, and here we are, with many citizens ready to go right back to where we came from.
I move that we as citizens of the most free country in the world, we need to take a stand. Decide today that we WILL NOT allow our freedoms to be taken away. We need to vow to keep control out of the hands of the government and keep it with the people. We should embrace capitalism and hard work, the very things this country was built on. So this labor day, don’t think about being able to escape from work; to let down your guard and think of an easier way of life. Think about what resolutions you are going to make to work hard, maybe take a little risk, and become a better contributor to the American way of life! Whether you want to start a new company, become the next millionaire, get a better job, or just be comfortable where you are, resolve yourself to set goals to be the best worker you can be.
So while you enjoy this day off, remember the words and advice of John F. Kennedey during his 1961 inaugural address, calling upon Americans to be active citizens when he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
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