Legal Commentary

Not a May Day Parade

By Eugene Volokh

I?ve seen several references online to American troops? marching alongside Russian troops in Moscow?s Red Square on May 9, which the references label ?May Day? (for instance, see here).

But that?s a mistake: May Day is May 1, and is a Communist/Socialist/labor holiday, depending on which country you?re in. May 9 is the Russian V-E Day, and celebrates the defeat of the Nazis (the one good thing that the Soviets did help do, of course after helping the Nazis a few years earlier). Say what you will about the propriety of the Americans marching in the Russian V-E Day parade, especially given the current state of the Russian government. But it has nothing to do with May Day.

Full post as published by The Volokh Conspiracy on March 27, 2010 (boomark / email).