What Is May Day?

"Is May Day, Lei Day?" Riko asked. 

 

It's actually a day when the International Workers of the World stand up to protest their working and living conditions in solidarity and in memoriam of the past United States workers who fought for the 8 hour working day, Saturdays off, in the late 1800s. I pulled from this article online.

 

"The Brief Origins of May Day"

by Eric Chase, 1993

 

Over one hundred years have passed since that first May Day. In the earlier part of the 20th century, the US government tried to curb the celebration and further wipe it from the public's memory by establishing "Law and Order Day" on May 1. We can draw many parallels between the events of 1886 and today. We still have locked out steelworkers struggling for justice. We still have voices of freedom behind bars as in the cases of Mumia Abu Jamal (a Black) and Leonard Peltier (an Indian). We still had the ability to mobilize tens of thousands of people in the streets of a major city to proclaim "THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE!" at the WTO and FTAA demonstrations.

 

Words stronger than any I could write are engraved on the Haymarket Monument:

 

THE DAY WILL COME WHEN OUR SILENCE WILL BE MORE POWERFUL THAN THE VOICES YOU ARE THROTTLING TODAY.

Truly, history has a lot to teach us about the roots of our radicalism. When we remember that people were shot so we could have the 8-hour day; if we acknowledge that homes with families in them were burned to the ground so we could have Saturday as part of the weekend; when we recall 8-year old victims of industrial accidents who marched in the streets protesting working conditions and child labor only to be beat down by the police and company thugs, we understand that our current condition cannot be taken for granted - people fought for the rights and dignities we enjoy today, and there is still a lot more to fight for. The sacrifices of so many people cannot be forgotten or we'll end up fighting for those same gains all over again. This is why we celebrate May Day.

 

And, May 1st, 2007, was the day I opened my certified kitchen at Dole Cannery as Licious Dishes; to help reverse the diseases of the 20th Century caused by the SAD, Standard American Diet, with a whole-food, plant-based diet.  I learned to make food to eat as close to the earth as possible, and, so went "raw, i.e., unprocessed, uncooked, grain-less so gluten-free, and non-GMO."  We have been in business for 9 years, and we will celebrate the whole week with a Cinco de Mayo Special Plate starting tomorrow (May 2nd) at Lunch.  It's a Tostada with a Sprouted Seed Crust, Sunflower Seed/Sun-Dried Tomato "Re-Fried Beans," Shredded Romaine lettuce with Corn/Tomato Mint "Dressing," topped with a Macadamia Nut "Sour Kreme" and a killer, Mango Avocado Salsa.  Includes a Sweet Surprise~Cinnamon Apple Slice with Banana/Orange Wedding "Cookie."  $17.00

Spreading Our Roots Campaign

In conjunction with Michele Santos' "Get Ready For Summer~Lose Weight" campaign event kick-off, we will be at her Sun Yoga studio in the Aina Haina Shopping Center, May 28th, 7pm with samples and a special introductory price for our Meal Plans $80/individual order.  More locations coming soon.

Do you read the

Newspaper(s) every day?

 

It's a must. One of the columns I am sure to read is the TO YOUR HEALTH, on the last page (back page) of Section A of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser of course. This particular article speaks my language as it's what I do. I'm often asked if I sell fresh juices, or smoothies, as I hear people are "on a cleanse." I respond, "I don't believe in juicing or smoothies," as I learned from Dr. Hahns Diehl's seminar that it's better to eat the whole fruit and vegetable because you need the fiber, to clean your body, and to fill it with less calories. Juices, especially fruit go directly to your liver (unless you "chew" your juice), and it turns to sugar. I usually take the short cut if I'm too busy to talk, saying I only drink water and wine.* But, come to think of it, I've been drinking coffee too.

*Los Angeles Times: Wine and coffee lovers, drink up! It's great for your microbiome (read article)