Over 70 students, teachers, punks, drop outs, labor activists, anarchists and what have you celebrated May Day at Towson University on Thursday May 1st. Called as a social gathering in celebration of May Day and to bring together those interested in the fight for workers' rights worldwide, the May Day picnic provided ample opportunity for activists of all likes and backgrounds to mix, have fun, share stories, and educate one another on various issues of importance.

The event was organized by Give a Shit!, the group formerly known as the Towson Anti-War Coalition, as well as members of the Goucher Peace and Justice League. The Towson Anti-War Coalition and Goucher Peace and Justice League have worked together in the past by coordinating the day after Iraq war announcement walk out event that took place in Towson, in which over 300 students, teachers, and community members shut down Towson for over two hours.

Baltimore Food Not Bombs provided pasta and a variety of drinks. Vegetarian hot dogs and burgers were cooked up on the grill and various other snacks, cakes, and cookies that were brought to the picnic were available. Members of the Towson University group Now or Never as well as the Student Worker Alliance of Towson were on hand to share in the festivities. Earlier in the day the Student Worker Alliance of Towson held a worker appreciation event by providing snacks and drinks to housekeeping and dining service workers arriving and leaving their shift. Pitch Black Press Distro was on hand to provide plenty of reading material, videos, and free art!

As in any gathering of young ideologically driven utopian seekers, childhood games broke out in multitude. Kickball, soccer, ultimate Frisbee, creating trash art and the like took place throughout the evening. A large game board was set up on a table where people played marble tag, which involved moving marbles with sticks through a maze of twists and turns. Events cumulated with the breaking of piatas that adorned pictures of George Bush Jr., Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, and one that simply read ?Your Boss?. In a fury of whacks the oddly decorated piatas were left in ruins among scattered candy.

Though there was no demonstrating or acts of civil disobedience at this May Day event, it still offered one with the opportunity to remember those who have fought for the rights of workers worldwide and to mingle with others who share like beliefs. Living in a modern day culture of constant fear and right wing conservative rhetoric can lead to feelings of alienation, isolation, and ultimately frustration induced apathy. We need events like these to remind ourselves that we are not alone in our fight.