Should Security Officers be memorialized?

On 6-23-09 I was listening to the radio as I worked (as usual) when I heard something interesting.
The host of the show I was listening to asked his listeners how they felt about the idea of the security officer (Stephen Johns), who was killed recently, having his name memorialized on the law enforcement memorial in D.C.
(for more on the funeral service for this officer click here)

Apparently on the one hand the argument is along the lines of… “He worked in a form of law enforcement and he died in the line of duty, thus his name ought to be on there.”
Of course THAT would mean we would have to put ALL the names of ALL the security officers who died in the line of duty on there also.

On the other hand, the other side says… “Security officers are not held to the same standards, do not have the same level of responsibilities or receive the same training as law enforcement, so they do not belong on that memorial no matter how similar the sacrifice.

There is an implication in that. That statement says, because it is “less difficult” they must not be as dedicated to their jobs.

I have worked as a security officer and indeed it is work that I am, even now in. And I know as well as any what kind of dedication it really takes. But I thought I would be the odd one in this argument. Because I think that he should not be memorialized on that monument.

It is there specifically for officers employed by civilian governmental law enforcement. (That’s Right Military police are not allowed to be on it either.)

What was interesting to me was that I was NOT the odd one. Every other Security officer who called in agreed! What’s more they even agreed with my idea that, if anything, they ought to create a whole new Memorial for private security.

See even though security officers are not “as dedicated” or whatever we do a great service. And we are often made fun of even though we do provide such an important service.
That was my original thought but then I thought a bit further and I realized something, even better than a memorial would be… RESPECT.

Security officers DO provide an important service and they often take on the brunt of a really dangerous position, and they are not the only ones.

What about the Janitors, the Waiters/waitresses, the plumbers, teachers, Bus drivers, dishwashers and taxi drivers, the mechanics and train engineers.

All of these people perform important tasks and they get little respect for it. They seldom receive thanks from those who most depend on their service, BUT the first time there is a mistake everyone is all too eager to jump on them and punish them for not doing the job well enough.

Do you ever stop to think about what they do?

When you finish your day and go home, that is usually when they start working.

As you help your daughter with her homework the Janitor is trying to make your office a pleasant place to work in for tomorrow, and his daughter is struggling in school without him around to help because of your needs. In return you make fun of him and declare how easy it would be to replace him… after all anyone can push a broom right? Try looking at all he really does, taking out your trash, cleaning the windows, putting up with whatever you didn’t want to.

Or what about the Security Guard? While you are letting the stress of your day wear off by playing catch with your son he is laboring to make sure your stuff at work is safe. And his son wonders if dad is even going to be there in the morning to say hi to.

The school bus driver usually goes to work before you even think of waking up for work and he might even won’t get off until way after you have been home and had dinner. His day is longer but because it is broken up in ways you never experience he gets paid a lot less.

But All too often we make fun of these people when they are only doing their best to make our lives easier.

What would you do if there weren’t someone to make sure your water was clean and that you toilets worked?
How nice would your life be if you had to clean your own office?
What would happen if there were no teachers to help your kids learn? How would you teach them the basics and still make a living?
How would you get around a strange town without the bus drivers and taxi drivers?

See all these people, whom you take for granted, work hard 24 hours a day in order to make your life easier.
They make sure that YOU do not have to deal with the stuff that comes out of you on the toilet once you have flushed it down.

They bring you food (hopefully not the SAME people as in the last example) so that you can eat well.
They bag your groceries and they take away your trash.
And in return what do “you” do?

Do you make jokes at their expense? Do you call them incompetent? Or say they are too lazy to get “real” jobs? Do you laugh about their lack of education? Do you poke fun at their hopes and dreams?

I hope not.

But that is what many DO go out and do.
So maybe what would be better is for us all to respect them. And even make sure they are paid well enough that they can get a tutor for their kids… or at least enough that they can afford to live and even take a little time off once in a while to be with their families.