CLEVELAND, November 26 — The following is a statement from BLE International President Don M. Hahs on the Thanksgiving holiday:
It seems that time passes more quickly with each year and things sometimes get lost in the hustle and bustle. Thanksgiving seems to be no different. It is often lost between Halloween and Christmas, entirely skipped over in the pursuit of greater profits for retailers.
In the rush of our daily lives, we often forget to be truly thankful for all that we have. Thanksgiving provides us with an opportunity to remember. Each day as we tune into the news or read the paper, we see that there is much suffering in the world and much that we should be thankful for — our health, our families, our friends, food on our table and a roof over our heads.
Thanksgiving is a holiday of abundance. However, we see that there are many people in our own country who are not as fortunate as we are. We live in the most prosperous nation in the world. However, there are those among us with no food, clothing or shelter. Many people who do have jobs are struggling to make ends meet. Lay-offs slice the nation?s workforce, as jobs are exported to other countries. The economy has taken a bite out of many of our paychecks, but to some it has been truly devastating.
Many of our union brothers and sisters have felt the pinch. As we celebrate this holiday, there are 85,000 grocery workers who are on strike or locked out. From Southern California to Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia and Ohio, these workers are holding the line for America?s health care. These workers are sacrificing their own holidays in order to stand up for what they believe in.
These workers are joined by many others this holiday. Right here in Cleveland, where the BLE is headquartered, the city has decided that it can no longer afford to keep its citizens safe and has chosen to lay-off nearly 700 safety workers, as a result of the lack of state and federal funds and the bad economic times. These policemen, firemen and emergency medical technicians are the very same people who risk their own lives to save the lives of others.
We must also remember the service men and women in conflicts around the world who are giving up their lives in pursuit of the goals of this nation. These service men and women are separated from their families during this holiday season. These young men and women are sacrificing themselves for our protection. They are giving up their lives for freedom, and I ask you to pray for them on this day and every day.
I am often mindful of the passage from the Bible in Luke 12:48: “For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required.”
We have been very fortunate — we have freedom, food, shelter, clothing — which we often take for granted. On Thanksgiving, I ask you to remember to be thankful for what you have worked so hard to achieve.
I also want to take this opportunity to thank all BLE members for their kindness and support over the past year. I wish you and your families a happy and safe holiday season.