My college roommate worked as a brick mason’s helper. His job was to mix “mud” (mortar), haul bricks, and in general do all the back-breaking stuff his supervisor told him to do. He vowed to finish his engineering degree and eventually earned a doctorate, so he could work with his mind rather than his back. Once upon a time, I worked on the “bull gang” at a J&L wire rope plant. We did all the general jobs nobody else had time for. I had the same reaction as my roommate. I also decided to finish my degree.
There is nothing wrong with an honest day’s work. Some jobs are more physical than others, and some are “dirty jobs” not many people want to do, but every job must be done by someone. We’re finding that out the hard way these days. Undocumented immigrants, deportations, detention centers, and monthly job reports are at the top of our news feeds. Unfortunately, slave wages, inhumane treatment, and family separations are the results of decades of poor policy decisions. That means there are no magic fixes. Yet, it seems to me many of our problems come from the belief that some of us are “better” than others and therefore low-wage workers “deserve” whatever happens to them.
Mike Rowe has pointed out that just because a job is dirty doesn’t mean it’s not important. Many people earn a good living doing things that must be done. And not everyone needs to get a college degree. A good brick mason can make a good living, and he had to start somewhere. A wire rope factory needs people to sweep the floors, repair the reels, and clean the machines. At no time would I ever disparage the people who do these jobs.
Nevertheless, we have a class of people who believe they have a right to decide what becomes of others. Their wealth, position, and notoriety have led them to believe they “made it on their own” while the rest are just poor unfortunate souls who have risen as far as providence will permit. Their language is couched in religion, because the religion of the powerful always dictates what will happen to the less powerful.
It seems to me it’s dangerous when political figures believe the people work for them rather than the other way around. After all, the members of the House and Senate are our employees. The Supreme Court and all the other courts are supposed to work for all of us. And above all, the President works for us. We are his boss. He is not our boss. He cannot, by any means, do whatever he wants. Unless we give up and allow him to rule as a dictator.
In his old age, my father ended a family gathering the same way he ended many business meetings, saying, “Well, everybody’s got a job to do.” It’s true. We all have a job to do. We all need to help one another, to preserve what’s left of the American spirit of hospitality, generosity, and equal opportunity. We can choose to open our arms to those in need rather than supply arms to warring factions.
We are on the verge of being under the thumb of an authoritarian regime fed by obsequious little sycophants who expect to cash in on their leader’s brand. Yet, the American experiment doesn’t have to end this way. It’s our job to reign in our desire to treat others as less important or to elevate our own importance based on race, nationality, language, religion, or gender. We all need to take this job seriously.
[Here is a story about a self-absorbed rich man who learns how The Other Half lives.]
MurrayWorks 