Over 200 people involved in the Occupy Denver movement came together in downtown Denver for a peaceful march to protest corporate America and celebrate International Workers Day on May Day last Tuesday, May 1. May Day is celebrated all around the world as a day to give back to the workers for their hard labor.

Similar protests occurred all around the country to fight against the United States’ lack of participation in the holiday and government’s nonexistent appreciation for workers.

I fully agree with Occupy’s reason for protesting. Workers across the globe are being exploited by corporate giants, with minimal wages and too many hours. All the while, the “giants” earn more and more money, creating the 99 percent versus one percent gap. It is about time we speak up in an effective way. By all means: “Workers of the world unite.”

However, the protests in Denver weren’t the best way to speak up for workers’ rights.

One of the main purposes of May Day’s protest was to encourage workers and students to skip their work and classes to show the government we want them to join the international community by celebrating International Workers Day, and we want to be rewarded for our hard work. But skipping out on our work for the day defeats the purpose entirely. We need to show the government we are hardworking citizens and that we care about the work we do. Skipping our work duties shows just the opposite. If we take a day to neglect the opportunity to make money and learn so we can go march on the streets, what does that show the rest of the world about our commitment to our jobs?

It makes it look like we don’t take them seriously.

If every single person in the U.S. didn’t show up for work on May Day, the government might have taken real note of it, but only 200 people showed up in Denver to march. Those people are only hurting themselves by neglecting their responsibilities. A friend of mine asked her father if people in his firm showed up for work on May Day. His response? “Of course they did,; t’s a work day.”  

That one person who doesn’t show up for work so he can protest only makes himself look like a fool. While his cause is worthy, he simply makes himself look lazy, like he was looking for an excuse not to work. It’s the same for university students who choose to participate in the protest.

I fully support their cause, but I don’t agree with their choice to miss classes in order to participate in May Day festivities.

Part of being socially just and speaking up for what is right is to take advantage of the opportunities you have been given. Each two-hour class period costs us around $150. It’s our responsibility as students and social justice activists to use those classes to the best of our abilities and not blow them off.

Of course most of the protesters didn’t view the march as a way of “blowing off” their work. To them, it was a sacrifice they were willing to make in order to get their voices heard. I respect that, but their method isn’t very beneficial.

Rather, workers should go to their daily jobs and take advantage of what they have been given. Then, on the side, they should go straight to the government and say what they want – write letters, lobby and hold protests on Saturdays. They should get the entire nation on board because their cause is an important one, but they don’t have to neglect their work to do it.

B