A DAY OFF FROM SCHOOL FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Let's drink to the hard working people
Let's drink to the lowly of birth
Raise your glass to the good and the evil
Let's drink to the salt of the earth
Say a prayer for the common foot soldier
Spare a thought for his back breaking work
Say a prayer for his wife and his children
Who burn the fires and who still till the earth

Those, of course, are the beginning lyrics of “Salt of the Earth,” by the Stones. Mick and Keith wrote that song nearly four decades ago when they were at the top of their powers. Now, their talents are dried up. But that doesn’t stop them from charging hundreds of dollars in admission fees for their concerts – clearly, the “salt of the earth” talk is just that. Today’s working man can no more afford to see those guys play than he can count on social security, health insurance, rising wages, or powerful unions.

Happy Labor Day, everybody!

But seriously, I was lamenting last week the fact that my children now have to start school in August. Cruel and unusual punishment, I thought. But then I realized a silver lining: today, those kids will wake up, recognize that they were permitted to sleep in, and tell themselves that the reason they’re not in school is because it’s Labor Day -- a day to celebrate labor. Sure, they might wonder for a moment why something as painful as the process of childbirth is worthy of a national holiday. But my daughters are smart. And it won’t take long before they realize that we’re not talking about that form of labor. We’re talking about celebrating the “working man” … and woman. Or perhaps, if they’re really smart, they’ll realize that we’re celebrating the working class. Those folks Jagger was talking about.

My question is why? Why should we celebrate the working class? After all, if they had paid more attention in school, many of them could have “lifted themselves up” and made “more of themselves.” Why should I, a member of the professional class, devote a whole day to them? Is it ‘cause they’re relatively poor? Well that can’t be the reason – otherwise we’d call it “Poverty Day” instead. Hmmm. Why then?

Well, maybe I’m wrong, but it could be that the so called “working class” do the dirty work that people like me wouldn’t want to do, but totally depend on for so many things that we take for granted -- like having clean streets, or roofs that don’t leak, or buildings that don’t fall apart, or food that’s fresh.

Does that mean I owe something to them -- other than a day named in their honor and an occasional word of thanks? Am I obliged to supplement what they’re paid by their bosses? Am I obliged to support their right to unionize so that they can bargain with their bosses on a more equal footing? Am I obliged to view the payment of taxes as a way to honor the “salt of the earth” and give them the same opportunity I have to pursue my happiness and realize my talents?

Are those the kind of thoughts we should be having on Labor Day?

I suppose that’s harmless enough. After all, people go to church once a week and they still forget the stuff about charity and brotherly love. So how much trouble can it be to spend one day a year thinking that sharing the wealth with the working stiff is not just an option, but an obligation.