I started drinking coffee at age 12. And by coffee, I really mean coffee creamer. Most days, I only saw my dad in the morning when we were drinking coffee in the silence of the house I grew up in.
This limited time with my father taught me the value of public service and the true value of the sacrifices which government workers, public servants and elected officials make daily. This great example taught me what public service looked like, but it certainly didn’t teach me how to be grateful for it. That understanding came later for me.
Only when I watched my coworkers during my congressional internship stress and labor over political issues did I realize their relevance to my life. Only after watching a former coworker and a federal worker cry after helping with an immigration case did I truly understand of burden the empathy and sacrifice that public service places on these people who work for us. We give them the mandate, so we also need to give our thanks.
Elizabeth Marshall | Argonaut
Public servants make monumental sacrifices for the sake of others. It’s in the job description, but that doesn’t mean we should overlook it. Unfortunately, this understanding seems to be coming late for others. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have neglected to feel the pain and sacrifice that other federal government employees have made.
“The president, vice president and Congress should have to feel the same pain and uncertainty that our federal government employees face during a shutdown,” said newly sworn-in United States House Representative Dan Crenshaw.
Rep. Crenshaw makes an excellent point here, but it’s a point Americans should take even further. What’s missing from this quote? The American people.
This isn’t to say regular, everyday Americans haven’t suffered uncertainty and other problems under the shutdown. They have. But Americans have shown they can go much further than feeling our own pain — we have also illustrated that we can show an immense amount of gratitude for those who have made sacrifices. We should show that gratitude now, whether it be participating in lively and civil debates at home over politics or by those in our lives who work for the federal government.
So, here’s my thank you to federal workers: thank you for making huge personal sacrifices so Americans can disagree and argue about important, stressing issues like border security, social security and other issues. By making these sacrifices, you’re playing an important role in the safety and welfare of our country.
I am glad the shutdown has ended (at least temporarily) and you are able to more actively participate in serving our country through your everyday jobs. I hope that you can continue to protect our national parks, answer constituent phone calls and aid in helping people with your specialties and sacrifices.
Elizabeth Marshall can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @EJMarshall_.