I was passing through the TSA as the Government workers were rushing around to get the line maze established. There were more than 30 workers rushing around trying to prepare for the in coming crowds of people with destinations on their mind. I was joined in line by a number cranky stuffed white shirts griping about their taxes and how in effective the Government is at all they try to operate.
Hey Mike, a suit yelled, “Can you believe this shit?, our tax dollars hard at work with these morons” They both laughed as they pushed through the line.
I am not sure what others in this line were thinking but in light of the recent Paris terrorist attack, I was grateful for today’s committed workers. Grant it, I was a government employee in health care for 22 years and I know the rules and the game of government inside baseball. That said, don’t knock it until you have done it.
Government work is very demanding. It typically requires tough decisions that tend to be impossible to win. Satisfying all the possible collections of stakeholders, policy makers, public officials and your constituents is impossible. Problems are overarching and complex directly impacting such things as public health and safety.
As I reflect the departments and agencies with in federal, state and local government are connected to our societies health and welfare. One fundamental fact I learned by being a Government official was the breath of relentless responsibility. Folks that fill those roles really do care about doing a good job with the resources they are given. Our nation will never have the adequate resources to meet all the needs of our citizens. But one thing I know for sure is that people who choose to work in Government do the best they can with dedicated human and moral obligation. At the end of the day, no Government worker wishes harm.
Arguments exist regarding what are functions should remain under Governmental control and which could be performed by a free market. I support our Government holding the power to protect our nation from tragedy and keep it safe. If I have to take my pants off and go through the X-ray machine at the airport, I’m glad if it will be the act that keeps our nation safe.
As I passed through the line maze I heard a young man say to his rookie partner, “Ryan, good enough for Government work, dude.”
I laughed my butt off all the way through to the gate, with full appreciation of this young mans meaning.
My hat is off to those who have given their life to Government by serving in this vocation.
I guess most importantly never go on an airplane without a clean pair of boxer briefs, as you never know what’s next.
TEMENOS CIRCLE 