Post by Judge Sam on May 1, 2009 17:24:31 GMT -5
Today is International Workers' Day, a celebration of the accomplishments and successes of what the labor movement has done for us all. It's also known as May Day. Ironically, although the holiday was founded in the US nowadays it's one of those things where everybody but the US does it today, and we do it on Labor Day.
The day was founded as a response to the Haymarket massacre. As a peaceful strike rally was about to disperse a mysterious unknown man lobbed a bomb at police. The blast and ensuing police gunfire killed an unknown number of civilians. The cause of the rally? These people were workers who were on strike who came together in rallies for an eight-hour work day. Unions were instrumental in achieving this and other advances in worker's rights.
The main speaker at the Haymarket rally was August Spies. He had so far led and coordinated the non-violent strike successfully. He and others across the country were campaigning for the all-important eight-hour work day. Before this point, workers were forced to work much longer. At that rally he advised the striking workers to "hold together, to stand by their union, or they would not succeed."
But after the police shot into the crowd, and after the government put 8 men on trial, including Spies, for falsely for throwing a bomb that killed a police officer, Spies became more virulent. In a pamphlet entitled "Revenge! Workingmen to Arms!" he wrote:
In a highly controversial and politicized trial, Spies and 7 other men were given the death penalty and hung on the gallows. This despite the fact that eyewitnesses said Spies had still been on stage after giving a speech when the bomb went off. Even more suspiciously, one of the jury members on the trial was specifically selected by a baliff and was a relative of the slain cop.
The trial has been characterized as one of the most serious miscarriages of justice in United States history. Most working people believed Pinkerton agents had provoked the incident. Pinkerton agents were, to put it simply, the most heinous labor spies America has ever seen. If you don't know about them and their despicable actions now you will as Spies 6: The Union plays out.
Today May Day is a politically charged event around the world where workers unite to rally and march in support of issues like immigrants' rights.
The day was founded as a response to the Haymarket massacre. As a peaceful strike rally was about to disperse a mysterious unknown man lobbed a bomb at police. The blast and ensuing police gunfire killed an unknown number of civilians. The cause of the rally? These people were workers who were on strike who came together in rallies for an eight-hour work day. Unions were instrumental in achieving this and other advances in worker's rights.
The main speaker at the Haymarket rally was August Spies. He had so far led and coordinated the non-violent strike successfully. He and others across the country were campaigning for the all-important eight-hour work day. Before this point, workers were forced to work much longer. At that rally he advised the striking workers to "hold together, to stand by their union, or they would not succeed."
But after the police shot into the crowd, and after the government put 8 men on trial, including Spies, for falsely for throwing a bomb that killed a police officer, Spies became more virulent. In a pamphlet entitled "Revenge! Workingmen to Arms!" he wrote:
They killed the poor wretches because they, like you, had the courage to disobey the supreme will of your bosses. They killed them to show you 'Free American Citizens' that you must be satisfied with whatever your bosses condescend to allow you, or you will get killed. If you are men, if you are the sons of your grand sires, who have shed their blood to free you, then you will rise in your might, Hercules, and destroy the hideous monster that seeks to destroy you. To arms we call you, to arms!"
In a highly controversial and politicized trial, Spies and 7 other men were given the death penalty and hung on the gallows. This despite the fact that eyewitnesses said Spies had still been on stage after giving a speech when the bomb went off. Even more suspiciously, one of the jury members on the trial was specifically selected by a baliff and was a relative of the slain cop.
The trial has been characterized as one of the most serious miscarriages of justice in United States history. Most working people believed Pinkerton agents had provoked the incident. Pinkerton agents were, to put it simply, the most heinous labor spies America has ever seen. If you don't know about them and their despicable actions now you will as Spies 6: The Union plays out.
Today May Day is a politically charged event around the world where workers unite to rally and march in support of issues like immigrants' rights.
Happy International Workers' Day everybody!