May the 4th....be with you
May 4th
May 4 is called Star Wars Day because of a pun or play on words based on the similarity between "May the 4th be with you" and "May the force be with you", a phrase often spoken in the Star Wars movies. In common usage the joke might be presented:
John Doe: Happy Star Wars Day!
Jane Doe: What?
John Doe: May the 4th be with you!
As an example of the cultural impact of Star Wars, the joke is recorded[1] in the UK parliament's Hansard. A similar play on words, this time an example of a homophone, was employed by District Judge Andrew Shaw, during an assault case where an assailant claiming to be Darth Vader had attacked victims who were pretending to train with lightsabers. When the assailant failed to appear at court on time, Shaw issued an arrest warrant adding "I hope the force will soon be with him."[2]
Despite efforts to start[3] a Jedi Church with 4 May as its Star Wars Day, as of 4 May 2009 there is no religion-supporting organization that promotes 4 May as Star Wars Day.
Loyal fans of Star Wars, on this day, participate in a variety of activities. Movie Marathons are common whether or not this is a weekend and the Chicagan Convention is known to occur on this day two years ago[when?].
