As the first notes ring out on that iconic guitar song, ‘Ohio’ by Neil Young it never fails to raise the hair on my neck. The angst pours out of that opening guitar solo and somehow a song about 4 Vietnam protesters being killed in Ohio has to carry the same weight today as it did in 1970. Tin soldiers aren’t what we face now, but a Republican majority that has now defied the Ohio Supreme Court’s decision against their electoral map for the 6th time.

To quote another guitar legend, ‘excuse me while I kiss the sky’ because I don’t want to be negative here, this is an opportunity for reasonable people in the Buckeye state. There is an opportunity in November, provided by reasonable people of this state voting in their own interest, and the interest of their children in August on issue 1.

I’m old enough to be one of those people that, ‘Saw the towers fall’ as was pointed out to my girlfriend when a young person asked about her age. I also remember that it was Ohio that re-elected Bush in 2004. That’s the thing though, I know Ohio is a shadow purple state if the circumstances are right, and there are enough votes in the metropolitan counties of the state to drown out the ignorant if we turn out. This November is that chance, abortion and weed, if that doesn’t scream freedom I don’t know what does.

Ohio Issue 1, to establish reproductive healthcare into the state constitution could not be more important. I live in Columbus, and, ‘this our fortress’ as it used to read on the outside of Historic Crew Stadium, central Ohio is our fortress. Abortion on the ballot gets that crucial but fickle Delaware county suburban mom that cares about her daughters vote, and that is tangible. That is something that can translate Ohio into a national discussion when we think about the electoral college in a year.

‘Four dead in Ohio’ is a tragedy, but it doesn’t have to be a legacy. Those people that died that day were out there protesting to make this state and this world a better place as they saw fit. Let us all carry on in that tradition of informed political action and put Ohio back into the purple column, and make Trump or whoever becomes the nominee from that grift show party sweat. ‘What if you knew her, and found her dead on the ground? How can you run when you know?’

The UAW orchestrated a worker strike at 3 manufacturing facilities in Missouri, Ohio and Michigan today, something that has been brewing for months. Although they have already backed down from their initial bargaining point of a 40% wage increase to match CEO salary increases, this is a step in the right direction. It isn’t yet clear how much of an impact this initial strike will have, but make no mistake, the Excel sheet warriors are going to see it.

With the auto industry’s recent trend, like many corporate sectors, of spending a large portion of profits on stock buybacks, this was an inevitable situation. I went to The University of Toledo, and to see the Jeep factory there be on the forefront of this was my education coming full circle. I took American Labor History as a Junior at Toledo and it is so evident to me that the continuing cycle of unbridled capitalism is unsustainable in a modern western society. The same things that were happening a hundred years ago are happening again, and because of our celebration of this economic system, we fight, fight again.

Make no mistake, the Gen Z kids are going to see it too. They are forming, and have been forming, their own political perspectives for years now amidst runaway gun violence in schools and in general. I want to ally with these young people, as one should always want to do to see a youthful perspective in politics. In the face of Vivek Ramaswamy suggesting raising the voting age to 25, where are these young voters supposed to turn to make a difference in their lives if the Republican answer is to silence them?

This union strike, and the rise of interest in forming labor unions in this country is the slow, but necessary microbial rebuilding of the labor infrastructure Reagan destroyed. I would probably be laughed out of the room on the way to filing unemployment papers if I suggested forming a union in my workplace, but that won’t stop me from supporting every effort to move in that direction. Make no mistake, I’m looking at you Bazooka Joe Biden, this is an opportunity.

With all the noise surrounding Trump’s myriad of absolutely justified indictments, Biden has a chance to stand with the UAW, and show he’s not just going to be doing a ribbon cutting tour for the next year. As much as the Inflation Reduction Act seems to be making an impact so far, I think it will have a limited impact on the idealistic Gen Z voters they absolutely need to reach. The American people are industrious, creative, inspiring, and make no mistake: the world is watching.

You might already want to call me a commie for writing something about this very important holiday. You might not give a second thought to even why this is a federal holiday, and just appreciate the day off. Please allow me to explain why in a modern western society this day is still vitally important. Labor Day in early September every year should give you pause to reflect on all those that came before you to make your life better, and why we have to continue fighting today.

When you clocked out on Friday of this week at the end of that long 40 hour toil for some, calling for others, and whether it be a profession or a punishment, that 40 hours was fought for. One of the original international labor organizations’ slogan that rings as true today as it did over a hundred years ago is: ‘8 for work, 8 for sleep, 8 for what we will.’ Make no mistake, organized labor and the people it comprised have made your life today irrefutably better.

Since the origins of the Boston Manufacturing Company, and the Waltham and Lowell mills that were the first mass production facilities in the United States there has been a struggle in American capitalism between ownership and labor. The shift in the 19th century from trade-unionism as a profession and the factory system is a lesser known narrative in American history, but in no way unimportant. The division of labor in many ways began there, and still exists today.

The concept of a weekend, and a 40 hour work week, and overtime pay, and paid time off were not foregone conclusions in the system, but something vehemently fought for by organized labor. Call me a commie again if you like, but everyone, not just those in the organization, benefit from organized labor. This is seen through better compensation and benefits, but also basic things like workplace safety that would be otherwise ignored in a runaway capitalist system.

I am writing all of this today to say, if you have the opportunity to join a union in your workplace, or start one, I strongly urge you to do so. As a proponent of yourself and your family, you would be much better served to participate in a labor organization than to break under the pressure or union busting tactics and fear mongering of your employer. If you do not advocate for yourself, and your co-workers, nobody will.