Dem
47
GOP
53
On Wednesday, we posted a message about the people who don't get thanked like veterans do, but who really should. We didn't quite know what kind of response there might be, but it was... quite overwhelming, really. Among the folks who sent in a message was reader B.H. in Southborough, MA, who wrote: "Wonderful sentiment, guys. In the face of all this horrible bullsh** coming from those trying to grab more money and power, there is Fred Rogers."
That's a link to a PSA Mr. Rogers did in 2001 entitled "Look for the Helpers." We can't find an embeddable version, but here's the text of what he says:
When I was a little boy and something bad happened in the news, my mother would tell me to look for the helpers. You'll always find people helping. And I found that that's true. In fact, it's one of the best things about our wonderful world.
We were aware of the PSA, though we didn't think about it when we wrote that message earlier this week. Still, Mr. Rogers captures perfectly our thinking. And, in our experience, if you're on the same page as Fred Rogers, you're probably on the right track.
While we did not plan this out in this way, we received so many messages, and those messages are so very much in the spirit of this feature, that we decided to share them in that way. This week, we're going to have a few general remarks from readers, some messages about blue-collar professions, and then some messages about government workers of various sorts (which seems extra appropriate). Next week, we'll do a sequel covering other parts of the workforce and the populace:
M.S. in Freeport, IL, writes: You voiced what I've long thought. I don't mind thanking veterans, as they should be recognized. But as you pointed out, there are a lot of other people who put in the work every day that are also valuable but in different ways. Thank you for this overdue recognition of others!
(From the wife of a dedicated medical worker who works long hours and holidays and weekends, and who considers his "service" as being for the good of our community and humankind.)
G.B. in Olathe, KS, writes: To the folks at Electoral-Vote.com, I'd like to send a sincere thank you for the kind words written about the service of those of us who don't get a federal holiday and who are often the recipients of unkind sentiment from many who don't remember or understand how important our jobs are.
I'm a teacher. I hold an earned doctorate from the University of Kansas, and I have spent 35 years in various public education posts teaching and coaching kids who may or may not have really wanted to be in my classroom. I always did my best to make education less painful and more instructive about life. I have done this job because I feel it is important, and as someone who comes from a family chock-full of military veterans, it was the way I could serve my country in my own way.
To all who serve, in whatever capacity, in lower-paying, higher-jeopardy jobs, "thank you" doesn't begin to express my gratitude. Let's hope the next couple of years bring some sanity and civility back to our nation.
C.W. in Hamilton, NY, writes: Thanks for the call out for unsung heroes; my mother is a retired special education teacher, and helped so many families over the decades of her career.
L.H. in Middleburg, PA, writes: Thank you for expressing an opinion that I have long held that we should be thanking lots of people who rarely get recognized. After Donald Trump was elected last year, I was feeling devastated that there was little or nothing I could do to make things better. After some thought I decided that I was going to strive every day to find at least one person to thank or otherwise recognize for helping me or going beyond the requirements of their job.
I started in the grocery store. I asked a young man stocking shelves if he could help me find a large container of shortening because there were none on the shelf. He checked it out and said it appeared that a shipment had not arrived and it would not be there for a week. As I had need of it right away, I said I would have to buy multiple small cans instead, though they were more expensive. I continued shopping and was at the other end of the store when I heard someone shouting "Ma'am!" He came marching triumphantly down the aisle holding two large cans of Crisco over his head! He had gone back to the stockroom and searched till he found them and then tracked me down. I thanked him profusely and took note of his name. On my way out I stopped at the service desk and expressed my appreciation for his great help above and beyond.
That teenager says "Hi!" to me and smiles every time I see him. Being kind and friendly and grateful is beneficial to all.
K.R. in Austin, TX, writes: I'd like to thank the people who clean the places that we work and go to school. It is so nice to walk into a building with clean bathrooms, clean hallways and a clean lobby.
I once worked in a Texas State government building when they decided that a good way to save money would be to have building cleaned twice a week. Within a short time, our build looked dingy and didn't feel like a great place to work. The state eventually reversed the policy, in part because the cost of pest extermination service rose more than the amount saved on cleaning services.
F.L. in Allen, TX, writes: Being a qualified teacher in two countries (Texas and England), I think that middle school teachers should get combat pay. But...
Another great unsung hero is the sewer worker. Yes, Ed Norton (not the actor, but the fictional character on The Honeymooners). It's dangerous, filthy work and they get paid a pittance—but they get their hands dirty so we can keep our homes clean.
There is Wastewater Worker Recognition Week in April and Water Professionals Day on the first Monday of March, but who knows that?
Props to John Oliver, who, by randomly insulting Danbury, CT, had a sewer treatment plant named after him, with the mayor saying that, like Oliver, it was full of sh**. After agreeing to donate $55K, Oliver gladly accepted the honor.
D.B. in Palatine, IL, writes: Sanitation workers, who either work holidays or have to give up a weekend day to keep refuse collection on schedule. That's an essential service that is often overlooked.
And water reclamation is closely related. They have to work every day and are never even mentioned unless there's a problem (backups, bacteria in the outflow, etc.).
S.R. in Paradise, CA, writes: One forgotten group of hard-working folks are the sanitation workers.
Think about it. I don't see my doctor but once every 6 months. I've actually never personally enlisted the services of a lawyer. I've called 911 a couple times in my life.
But if my trash is not removed once a week (and, for many high volume restaurants, once a day) I'm in a world of overflowing putrescible waste.
These men and women get up well before the sun, drive massive trucks safely through our streets, sometimes encounter scary or dangerous situations in the morning darkness, then do the same thing the next day.
Think about tipping your waste/recycling worker this holiday season. Or, at least, give a friendly wave or a plate of cookies.
You rely on them more than you know.
S.C. in Lawrenceville, GA, writes: I say we need to thank the workers who pick up our garbage and recycling week after week with very little thanks or recognition! I'm old enough to remember the 1968 Memphis garbage strike and what a mess that was.
J.R. in New York City, NY, writes: I would give a tip of the hat to those at the bottom rungs of society who make it go, and who are often the most marginalized: nurses' aides and caregivers, porters and cleaning staff, farmworkers and delivery people.
V.W. in London, England, UK, writes: I was pleased to see your reference to the fact that while of course military personnel perform a vital function at significant personal risk, there are lots of other professions who provide essential public-interest services. You mentioned police, fire and ambulance/paramedics, also doctors and nurses, teachers, and lawyers (as a public-interest lawyer who could doubtless make much more money in private practice, I relate).
On the others, I think of some of the blue-collar, physical jobs—the guys (for they are mostly guys, though there are increasingly some girls too!) who make sure the power stays on, the sewage flows where it's meant to flow (and doesn't flow where it isn't meant to flow), the dustbins get emptied when they're supposed to, and the truck drivers who get the food and other essential supplies into the supermarkets to keep the shelves from being empty. Many of these jobs are physically hard, dirty and unpleasant in their own ways, and also carry a non-trivial risk of personal injury. The people who do them deserve our respect and our thanks.
S.C. in Mountain View, CA, writes: Two occupations that came to my mind immediately on reading your request were sanitation workers and bus drivers. The first literally do a dirty job that keeps the rest of us healthy and the second help people with no other source of transportation get to their jobs, grocery stores, etc.
M.M.F. in Nagoya, Japan, writes: Flight attendants. They're not waiters. They're not servants. They're highly-trained specialists willing to risk their own lives to get you out safely in an emergency. So listen to the freaking 2-minute safety briefing and cooperate.
That said, we should also thank our waiters. And the folks behind the counter in convenience stores. And the people who stock the supermarket shelves. And delivery drivers. They make it possible to live the lifestyle we do. A smile and a "thank you" are absolutely warranted, and might just make your day a little brighter, too.
R.C. in Newport News, VA, writes: Transportation workers have a higher on-the-job mortality rate than military or police. Long distance-drivers are away from their families for weeks. The job is boring but requires extended attention, hence taxing. Along with medical personnel, delivery drivers were the heroes of the pandemic. They took chances catching COVID to get us food and other supplies so we wouldn't have to shop and catch COVID ourselves. They were a blessing for people like me in our seventies and (especially) eighties.
R.D. in Freeland, WA, writes: All the low-paid retail workers who go to work every day, with a good spirit and a friendly smile and have to put up with the public who often abuses them, ridicules, and treats them as if they are second-class citizens. It is true that some have bad attitudes, but when you see the manner in which society views them is it any wonder! So thanks to all you hard-working stiffs who sell us our groceries, our dry goods, our hardware, our agriculture, who pick up our garbage. Thank you for being there, day after day, doing the hard job!
L.S. in Greensboro, NC, writes: How about farmers, who work from dawn to dusk, 7 days a week, and—if dairy farmers—with never a day off (cows have to be milked) to feed the nation and the world? As the nation moves further and further away from its agrarian roots, most people have little idea of the hard work and sacrifices farmers make to assure that we can go to the supermarket and select from a broad selection of tasty and nutritious foods. To sit up all night tending to a sick animal and then move right into doing the day's chores, since they won't do themselves, requires a level of dedication and true love for the work that should be celebrated.
C.J. in Lowell, MA, writes: I'd like to suggest National Park Service rangers and other personnel. As a seasonal ranger myself this summer, I heard words of appreciation numerous times, sometimes even phrased as "Thank you for your service" from visitors. They know it has been tough this year with reductions in force and a freeze on hiring permanent staff, but clearly still enjoy access to these resources.
H.R. in Jamaica Plain, MA, writes: A huge thank you to the U.S. Diplomatic Corps—the Foreign Service. Right now, these folks are working without pay (though some are on furlough). Some diplomatic assignments are in dangerous parts of the world, and while the diplomatic corps is protected by the U.S. Marines, the members of the Foreign Service are not armed, so are sometimes risking their lives without the "protection" that someone in military service has. Serving in the Foreign Service means frequently moving (around every 2 or 3 years), and sometimes serving in places where your movement is severely restricted. Tandem couples (where both serve) have no guarantee of getting assignments in the same place, sometimes having to work remotely, or take leave without pay, in order to stay together as a family. Foreign Service Officers perform many important functions for national security and foreign policy, yet they get very little recognition and thanks.
R.G.N. in Seattle, WA, writes: Perhaps, being a retired Federal environmental scientist, I am a bit biased, but knowing a lot of young scientists (and older ones) who served the pubic in agencies such as the EPA, NOAA, USFWS, etc.), I feel we owe a debt to these folks who choose public service over much higher paying private jobs. This is particularly true in a year where so many of these folks have been arbitrarily fired from civil service jobs that were supposedly guaranteed due process by the Pendelton Act.
D.C. in Kansas City, MO, writes: I would send a thank you out to all the volunteers who staff our local boards and commissions. These people work for no pay and just want to give back to their communities. They are the ones that make local governments work.
E.W. in Edmonton, AB, Canada, writes: Librarians. They're fierce advocates of the freedom to read, stalwart guardians against censorship, and they open up worlds of wonder and knowledge to anyone seeking them out. Librarians are particularly important to curious children, and we should encourage our politicians to fund our libraries generously and to increase the number of public school librarians, which has been in decline, at least where I come from, for a long time now.
E.S. In Providence, RI, writes: I'd like to thank air traffic controllers, who have an incredibly stressful job in keeping passengers alive.
A.G. in Scranton, PA, writes: I know many people might find this offensive, but I thank TSA workers at airports and employees of the United States Postal Service.
I made certain to thank each lady who manned the polls (they were all women, I wasn't a di** to some guy) on Election Day. Their lives can be ruined by some a**hole with camera and a lie, turned to hell by politicians and idiot commentators and their lies, and ended by some dipsh** with a gun who believes those pictures, theories, and lies.
Volunteers at food banks and soup kitchens. Social workers who are accused of being "baby snatchers". People who work with the seriously mentally ill. School janitors (they take so much sh** from a**hole kids).
Family farmers. There's so many here who are just clinging onto the edge of having to sell and still hoping against hope that the national greatness they were promised will arrive. I know that's thanking a Trump voter... but they're not all di**s.
I feel so awkward being thanked for serving when so many gave so much more than I did. We have had that discussion here. I find ways to use the moment: "You're welcome, ma'am. If you want to do me a favor could you remember to say that to a nurse for me?"
I've never been anything but grateful for these people but prison made me realize what a blessing freedom is, and I try to use my freedom as graciously as possible, so my list is a bit longer than most people's.
V.W. in Asheville, NC, writes: I would hope that one day Peace Corps volunteers would be honored on Veterans Day. Of course they never fought, but many veterans didn't either. They serve in many countries for a standard 2 years with little pay and a lot of isolation from family and friends. Many endure difficult situations while representing the U.S. I know several people who were under dangerous conditions while serving. They should be honored in some way.
P.W. in Nashville, TN, writes: On the subject of people who deserve (more than) a tip of the hat, how about mentioning the National Guard members who have been sent into our blue cities for essentially no purpose, on an indefinite basis and with little forward preparation. This is NOT what they joined the Guard for. They wanted to serve their country by providing disaster relief, emergency assistance and specialized interventions that relieve or prevent human suffering. It's what they're trained for. For those who've had battle experience, this life-affirming service is extremely important to them. But instead, they've left their jobs and families for who knows how long, to go and stand around and ostensibly "protect" the ICE goons while they pursue the Orange One's domestic terror campaign. We owe our Guardspeople thanks in all situations, but particularly now.
D.R. in Phoenix, AZ, writes: Tip of the Hat to all the front-line public-sector workers who keep the gears of civic life turning—the ones handling the licenses, questions, complaints, rules, fees, and fines that make us an orderly and prosperous society.
It's long been a running joke that places like the DMV are synonymous with long lines and surly clerks, but in my experience, the service is consistently good—often better than what I get in the private sector. I've never quite understood the griping.
These jobs aren't glamorous or lucrative, and the people who do them rarely hear a kind word. Yet they keep showing up, steady and patient, helping us navigate our days. Even when threatened with layoffs, wage freezes, or political scorn, they still answer the bell.
So here's to you—the front-line public servants who make everyday life possible. You've earned that Tip of the Hat.
If you see yourself in this list, then please accept our thanks, and the thanks of the readers.
Have a good weekend, all! (Z)