and NO WORK. Occupy is calling a General Strike today and we’re trying to figure what that means for us.
Two messages I’ve always felt at the same time for May Day: Celebrate Spring! Carry overflowing May baskets of flowers to dear friends. Loved doing that!
Today is the Russian May Day Parade (International Workers) and Occupy Movement has called for NO WORK … while I listen to Dr. John singing “Time for a Change” on KOWS FM, Occidental (streaming). Just heard a young Pete Seeger sing We Shall Overcome (must Sing Out with that) and Bob Dylan A Hard Rain is Going to Fall. A short, horrible/true bit from Mumia Abu-Jamal from Death Row describing “Hell on earth” that is still our Death Row experience in multiple cities across our country. “Life is going nuts,” says the moderator at KOWS FM. “Hopefully, people will get together …and do something (useful)” Now Bob Dylan sings Masters of War. Today feels like a version of the Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kipper. How can we move away from violence and toward a peaceful planet? The culture practiced by the original Star Trek Next Generation folk – no money, no war, no injustice noticeable. People in this highly ethical world treat each other with deepest respect – enough respect to speak the truth, something very tough to do, even with loved ones – or perhaps even tougher with loved ones.
Next pick on KOWS: Isn’t this a wonderful time, the Weavers. Yup; that, too! Stellar Jay is eating most of the wild bird feed and just saw five barn swallows pulling bits of hay for nesting. Love those little sailers.
From today’s SFGATE This stands out for me: Organizers describe the May Day events as a coming together, with activists also calling for more open immigration laws, expanded labor rights and cheaper financing for higher education. Financial institutions remain a primary target.
Five banks — JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America, Citigroup Inc., Wells Fargo & Co. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. – – together held $8.5 trillion in assets at the end of 2011. That’s equal to 56 percent of the U.S. economy, compared with 43 percent in 2006, according to the Federal Reserve.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/05/01/bloomberg_articlesM3CGZL6S972901-M3CR0.DTL#ixzz1tduAvX00
History of May Day celebrations is amazing. International Workers Day, 100,000 strong parade in Red Square, Russia, today, but it began as a Pagan holiday celebrating spring, often with a May Pole dance. Lovely dance! Performed here in Petaluma by Live Oak Charter School children. Beautiful!
So – today is a celebration of great energy, great beauty of spring, great strength of working people around the world. Stay home and write? Go out and give someone a flower. Don’t go to work, don’t bank. Today. And think about it before you do. Tomorrow.