Did you observe Loyalty Day?

[SomethingFishy]

"In order to recognize the American spirit of loyalty and the sacrifices that so many have made for our Nation, the Congress, by Public Law 85-529 as amended, has designated May 1 of each year as "Loyalty Day." On this day, let us reaffirm our allegiance to the United States of America, our Constitution, and our founding values.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2012, as Loyalty Day. This Loyalty Day, I call upon all the people of the United States to join in support of this national observance, whether by displaying the flag of the United States or pledging allegiance to the Republic for which it stands.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/01/presidential-proclamation-loyalty-day-2012

Is this a paid holiday or what?

[cherokeeprogressive]

1. Fuck I hope so.

That would mean once every seven years I'd get my birthday off with pay (not accounting for leap years of course).

[Lindsay]

2. Ask me again

when those in government affirm their loyalty to the citizens.

[mmonk]

28. +1

[MannyGoldstein]

3. This is really odd.

Curiouser and curiouser.

[joshcryer]

5. Not really, it was an Orwellian attempt to co-opt May Day (or International Workers Day).

It kinda sorta works but I think less people know about "Loyalty Day" than they know about "May Day" to be honest.

[MannyGoldstein]

15. D'oh! Of course.

Thanks for pointing that out.

Although that makes it even more bizarre, I think!

[Egalitarian Thug]

13. What joshcryer said. n/t

[Solly Mack]

4. May 1st is getting crowded.

[hobbit709]

6. Hooray, hooray! It's the first of May

Outdoor fucking begins today!

[Solly Mack]

8. You're a poet.

[NYC_SKP]

7. On Loyalty Day I Showed Support for American Workers and American Products.

Seemed appropriate.

I bought some US made things at a locally owned store to put on my Toyota.

Sorry Detroit, should have made some fucking Hybrids back when I needed a car.

Instead of SUVs.

Assholes.

[Brickbat]

21. Asshole, indeed.

[NYC_SKP]

25. Detroit made conscious decisions to promote unsustainable products.

I'm now looking at a Volt, something that Japan doesn't offer.

Am I still an asshole to you Brickbat?

Do you have a domestically created union made everything?

Of course you don't.

[Brickbat]

26. I find it odd that you celebrate your American-made products that you put on your

Japanese-made vehicle.

Of course I don't have a "domestically created union made everything." But in cases where there is a union-made-in-America option, I take it. And it's available a lot more often then people realize.

[NYC_SKP]

27. Don't shit on my Prius.

I lurve it more than my Volvo and my Camry before that.

But I still gots my 1984 El Camino, positraction, rims, nice!!!

[Brickbat]

31. Heeee, now you're talking!

[white_wolf]

9. To hell with Loyalty Day.

The last thing we need in this country is more senseless patriotism and preaching of the glories of America. I have to admit, trying to make people forget International Workers Day in favor of a holiday that promotes nationalist fervor is rather clever. Disgusting, but clever.

[lunasun]

10. Workers of the WORLD unite May 1

Loyalty day????Display the flag??pledging allegiance?
sounds like some state declared day from old USSR playbook......eeegads that is sad.

[fishwax]

11. 50+ years as an official holiday and still pretty much unknown

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyalty_Day

It was made an official holiday by the U.S. Congress on July 18, 1958 (Public Law 85-529).[4][5] Following the passage of this law, President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed May 1, 1959 the first official observance of Loyalty Day. [6]

With the exception of Eisenhower in 1959 and 1960, and the years 1966 thru 1974, Loyalty day has been recognized with an official proclamation every year by every president since its inception as a legal holiday in 1958.[7]

[malthaussen]

18. So even the president who signed the bill

...couldn't be bothered.

"Reaffirm" loyalty? Is that like having minor children swear to a contract they are not legally competent to enact? (i.e., the Pledge of Allegiance)

-- Mal

[lunasun]

19. Thanks, so it is a cold-war leftover

[provis99]

12. Loyalty Day? Oh fer chrissakes...

might as well call it McCarthyite Day, or crypto-fascist Patriot Heritage Day, or some such.

[HiPointDem]

14. That's pretty much what it is. Eisenhower deemed it "Loyalty Day" in reaction to its association

with labor and labor agitation, which included agitation from anarchists, socialists, and communists.

[quakerboy]

16. I had nary a clue.

Lots of interesting things going on.

Was talking to a friend in Canada. He said that before Afghanistan started, they noticed they were suddenly getting bombarded with "patriotic" Pro-USA movies on their cable TV. And that it happened again before Iraq. And that they have noticed that it is happening again in the last few months.

[limpyhobbler]

17. Translation: Don't celebrate workers day on Mayday, it's not loyal.

[Brickbat]

20. No, I was too busy planning for Patriot Day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriot_Day

[SomethingFishy]

30. Man, they couldn't even leave 9/11 alone..

Can't just be a day of remembrance, a day to remember the innocents who died, it has to be a flag flying, gung ho, we're going to kick your ass, war on terror celebration.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

22. Did they serve Freedom Fries?

[alarimer]

23. Nope. In fact this pisses me off.

It detracts from the true history of May Day as part of the great labor struggle.

I don't believe in loyalty to a country. To your friends and family, yes. Country no.

[Fumesucker]

24. I tried to report myself as a malcontent to the department of homeland loyalty..

They hung up on me, the ingrates.

[bluestate10]

29. No. I am loyal to my country and it's values every day of the year. nt