Now more than ever all Americans should be grateful for the service of those who sacrifice so much for their fellow citizens. This year, it is my hope that our deep respect and reverence for service members from all walks of life will give this Veterans Day a greater meaning than in years past. Following the tense and emotionally charged Presidential election, it is important we all remember the foundational building blocks that make us a UNITED States of America.
Service members engage in one of the ultimate acts of public service. One that asks them and their families to sacrifice in many ways. We enjoy seeing heartwarming videos of armed forces personnel returning home to surprise a loved one at an unexpected moment. Our collective ability to appreciate moments like those should be our guiding light for this to be a day of reverence. Our ability to understand the concern in a family’s heart for their relative who may be off in far-flung places across the world in service to their country should be enough to remind us to appreciate what we have and the sacrifices of those who made what we have possible.
The commitment of our military personnel looks familiar to our members because we make a similar commitment to public service. No, we do not lay our lives on the line in far away places to ensure American freedom, but we work here at home to ensure that each and every resident can take full advantage of the freedoms that our service members work so hard to secure. Our work locally ensures that we have clean water to drink, that our trash is picked up on time, that when we are ill there are healthcare professionals to tend to us, and that our population can be educated from early childhood to post-secondary.
As we hold space for our veterans with the spirit of thankfulness and gratefulness, we should also remember to offer that same grace to ourselves and our neighbors. Political divisiveness can easily tear a community apart, but as union members we know the importance and value of solidarity. The same way our armed forces commit to solidarity to keep one another safe, we must also commit to solidarity to move our country forward. That solidarity, as personified by our veterans and practiced in the labor movement will be a guiding light moving forward. Happy Veterans Day.
In solidarity,
Kenya Campbell, President
AFT Maryland
