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August 29, 2015      10:31 AM

Smith: Celebrating Labor Day in Texas While Gov. Abbott Says Adios and Escapes to Mexico

From the Left: QR’s liberal columnist Glenn W. Smith urges us to celebrate the American worker and the accomplishments of the Labor Movement on Labor Day, even while Gov. Abbott abandons us for a weekend in Mexico.

When a Donald Trump supporter this week yelled “Get out of my country!” at a distinguished Latino journalist, who knew Texas Gov. Greg Abbott would say “okay” and make plans to head to Mexico? I don’t think he was talking to you, Governor.  

Of course, it’s another matter altogether that Abbott decided to plan his Mexican escape for the Labor Day weekend, thereby signaling to Texas and American workers just how much he thinks of them. I don’t remember another time a Texas governor scheduled a foreign trip for the weekend we celebrate the contributions of hard-working Americans.

Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September. You might wonder why it’s not celebrated on May 1, Mayday or International Workers Day, like it is in some 80 other countries. That’s because President Grover Cleveland didn’t want the holiday associated with the deadly Haymarket Riots in Chicago in early May 1886.

The complete column from Glenn W. Smith is in the R&D Department.

By Glenn W. Smith