Open Thread May 2, 2023

Yesterday, it being May Day, my mind filled up with associations, such as the fact that May 1 is the big labor holiday internationally (and once was here as well.) That led me to think of Odgen Nash’s poem about the man who hated spring – a psychological illness which had begum when someone told him to “Come down to Union Square, it’s Mayday,” and he had misheard it as “Come down to Union Square, it’s payday,” and the disappointment was more than he could handle (it ends with his wife shooting him, and his last words are “Thank you, honey, it was thoughtful of you to use the autumn-atic.” Which leads right in to the second short take.) Then my mind turned to Walpurgis – actually, I think, Mayday Eve – one of the four great pagan festivals which Christans, of course, associated with witchcraft. And then they associted witchcraft with people, especially but not exclusively women, who wanted to harm children. And that seques naturally into the first short take and comes right back the the Labor Day thought I started with.. I swear I did not plan any of that. It just happened. Coincidence actually is a thing.  Also – I’m sorry to report that Gordon Lightfoot has died.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Letters from an American – April 28, 2023
Quote – Those in favor of the new policies argue that fewer restrictions on child labor will protect parents’ rights, but in fact the new labor measures have been written by the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA), a Florida-based right-wing think tank. FGA is working to dismantle the federal government to get rid of business regulations. It has focused on advancing its ideology through the states for a while now, but the argument that its legislation protects parental rights has recently enabled them to wedge open a door to attack regulations more broadly. FGA is part of a larger story about Republicans’ attempt to undermine federal power in order to enact a radical agenda through their control of the states.
Click through for full article (you may have to click on “Keep Reading.”). This a few days old, but any time is the time to address this (so close to Mothers’ Day, too.)

Colorado Public Radio News – Here’s why voters are unlikely to have a direct say in an assault weapons ban
Quote – In theory, a group can work to place a ballot initiative on the statewide ballot. That process involves taking a proposed initiative to the Secretary of State, agreeing on the language that would be on the ballot and gathering valid signatures as a sign of support. Then, and only then, will voters have a chance to have a say on a possible assault weapons ban. Non-fiscal ballot measures like gun control rules can only be considered in even-year elections.
Click through for details, including the difficulty of defining an “assault weapon,” which is a huge problem no matter who is pushng the legislation. Legislators and activist really need to drop the term and think in terms of characteristices which make some weapons so deadly and legislate those, without ever giving any weapon a name. Also , this is Colorado, but most if not all states have some kind of process which is analogous.

Food For Thought