may day...

May Day is traditionally the day set aside to celebrate International Workers’ Day.

Ironically, the May Day celebration began in this country in 1886, as more than 300,000 workers across the United States walked off their jobs to protest unsafe conditions in many factories and businesses.

Today, in Los Angeles, we are celebrating the positive impact immigration has had on the development within this country. We should celebrate that impact, it’s the influx of new blood that keeps this country healthy.

The flip side: it’s the angst that continually pits one group against another, forever dividing this country.

Yesterday I went to one of the local stores for lunch and overhead two elderly (white) men discussing SB1070 recently passed into law in Arizona. As I stood in front of the freezer, looking at the various items for sale, one remarked to the other that he supported the legislation because “all ‘those people’ are just thieves, liars, rapists, or worse...” As the other man nodded in agreement, I realized I needed to move away... but nearly commented that it was amazing how they could, with one negative brush stroke, paint so many.

Today, I went down to Los Angeles because there was a massive demonstration against SB1070 taking place.

The overwhelming number of American flags was heartening. It established (at least for me) that this is a country to be proud of and embrace, even if all living within the borders are unwilling to embrace that which they don’t know or understand.

I think all sides could take a lesson from this march to city hall and perhaps embrace the differences which mold the forever changing face in these united states.