09/02/2022
Happy Friday – Happy Labor Day Weekend.
Buckle up, boys and girls, this isn’t your normal Labor Day message.
What does Labor Day mean to you? End of summer? Another long weekend? Another day where Dad (or Mom) slaves over the grill or doing chores around the house, just to catch up?
No, no, no. This is YOUR day. Better than Mother’s Day, better than Father’s Day, this is a day for you, the American worker, to pause, reflect, and get the kids or other miscreants to step up and honor you – the American worker.
I grew up steeped in the history of Labor Day. The accepted (ok, there’s always controversy these days) father of Labor Day was Peter J McGuire, a local labor leader in Camden NJ, my birth place. Every small town surrounding Camden, NJ back in the 50’s and 60’s had a Labor Day Parade, local news always covered the parades and the memorial celebration at the local cemetery, Arlington Cemetery, Pennsauken, NJ, where Mr. McGuire is laid to rest. Local politicians, the mayor of the town, they all stepped all over each other to claim their fame and 30 seconds of air time to wax profusely as to how much they support the American worker. You be the judge of how effective they were...
So, your humble correspondent, (me) grew up in this fever stew of Labor Day activity. When I grew up in Jersey, there was a state law that mandated that public school could not start until after Labor Day – it had all to do with the shore economy – if the kids went back to school, the local boardwalk businesses would not have teen slave labor that they needed to survive – so much for Labor Day, but I digress…
If you doubt my account of Labor day, please let me refer you to some independent research:
https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history-maguire
Forget that other scallywag Maguire character, in our world, there’s only one McGuire, Mr. Peter J.
Regardless of the controversy, the sentiment remains the same – this is YOUR holiday – the American worker. Please take the time to enjoy it.
Here is a picture of the memorial at Arlington Cemetery for Mr. McGuire:
As I told you earlier, I grew up in this small town outside of Camden, Pennsauken, NJ, where Arlington Cemetery is located. I worked at Arlington as a groundskeeper in high school and college in the early 70’s. This pic is from around 1974, when I was about 18 – me and my buddy Nicky, embracing our pal Pete, shortly after Labor Day – that is me on the right. I told you that I grew up steeped in this Labor Day fever!
I wish you and your family the best on this wonderful Labor Day weekend – take some time to relax, rest and enjoy your family – you have earned it. Thank you for all that you do, and for being a part on the Team – I cannot express enough, how much this means to all of us, collectively. We support each other, it’s a Team effort.
Enjoy your weekend!
-B