In praise of a work ethic

The American people can be defined, in part, by their willingness to get and keep a job. We measure one's worth by his ability to take care of his family on a regular and predictable basis, with sustained job security. A man's home is his castle, and he must keep it viable for the sake of his children and his community as well. When there is a failure to keep employment high, we all suffer the consequences. A blighted town or city is a pitiful sight, and its inhabitants have lost the dignity connected with going to work. There is scarcely anything that can be more devastating than utter dependence. Social and government facilities become overly strained to the extent that aid and assistance fall far short of the needs of its people.

We have heard much from our politicians of late when they give promises of restoring the jobs lost when American industry outsourced employment opportunities overseas in order to fatten their profits and reduce their commitment to the cities where they had flourished. Social and government facilities become over strained and still the industries kept their tax breaks granted by chambers of commerce, eager to help their industries stay afloat.

They used to be powerful allies to individual worker -- labor unions flourished, and managed to maintain fair working-place practices, fair wages, lack of discrimination, and were handy when a member lost his job by pitching in to help him over a rough spot. Sometimes they exceeded their reach and caused crippling strikes which put businesses in the discard pile, and were costly to the community at large. Too often, government stepped in to break the grip held by over zealous practices severe enough to slow general production.

We celebrate Labor Day by remembering back to a better time in American life. We may look forward to a changed situation, when the actions of our elected leaders may again restore the dignity and self-worth of a jobholder who can look ahead to a safe retirement, the fruition of family and his position in our society.