I would like to dedicate this Labor Day holiday to the 14.9 million women and men who, through no fault of their own, lost their jobs in the economic downturn.
I’ve been there. I feel your pain. Days upon days looking for a job. Just looking for a job becomes a job, a non-paying job. Your friends look at you differently. Days run into weeks, weeks into months. And you get to the point where you feel worthless.
One of my favorite movies is “Dave”. It’s a fictional story about Dave Kovic (played by Kevin Kline) who runs a temporary employment agency in Washington, D.C., and, as a side job, makes appearances impersonating President William “Bill” Mitchell (also portrayed by Kline), whom he greatly resembles.
When Mitchell suffers a severe stroke that leaves him in a coma, they arrange for Dave to impersonate the President on an ongoing basis.
As President, Dave addresses a press conference.
DAVE
First off I’m initiating a program to
try to find a decent job for every
American who wants one.
A murmur moves through the press room.
DAVE
(hearing them)
Why start here?
(pause)
Because if you’ve ever seen the look
on someone’s face the day they get a
job — I’ve had some personal experience
with this – – they look like they could
fly. And unless we start tapping into
that kind of spirit again, there’s no
way we’re gonna fix anything in this
country.
So I would like to offer you this variation on Dave’s jobs program. If one person helped just one other person find a decent job. Multiply that by the thousands. It would no longer be the American Dream, but the American Reality.
Thank You.
Photo by Warner Brothers.