A Rose For Fourmies

Today is May Day, which is when workers should remember their powers and celebrate rather than work. It's a day when we should remember the sacrifices of labor activists of earlier generations who were shot down for doing just that: peacefully parading and celebrating on May Day. One such event that comes to mind happened at Fourmies, in northern France in 1891. There was a parade, with young girls wearing flowers in their hair and folks just singing and being proud of their work and the culture of their class. Soldiers opened fire with no provocation whatsoever, killing nine, of whom eight were between ages 11 and 20.

That's my anarchist speech for the day: naming an event that very few people in the English-speaking world have ever heard of, but which was very important to subsequent events.

Here is the first rosebud of the season, in front of my place, peeking through the hedge again. Happy May Day to all!