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Originally Posted by Lil Dancer
I'm glad you're so enamored with government and their "professionalism", however, I work in State government, and believe me, it's not all its cracked up to be. Politics is involved in everything. I worked on PR activities for Governor Pataki for awhile, and its amazing how the facts are twisted to give the correct "spin". But we're each entitled to our opinions. I just don't happen to agree with yours.
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You bet I'm enamoured with these folks and their professionalism. I've been privileged to work with some of best people I have ever known here at Headquarters, Department of Homeland Security. IT IS ALL IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE - that being folk who tirelessly have done more without headlines than all of the Pulitzer folk will ever know. What occurs every day, without fanfare, within the National Operations Center and all of the entities participating and supporting it is immense, and the people who do that 24/7 work and respond to more types of emergencies than most folk can imagine, and do all of the planning so that things don't happen by accident, are not headline-seekers. Yet, they do what they do for everyone, despite the hours, despite the lack of credit, despite the stress, and definitely despite others putting "spin" in the quest for unearned personal glory.
I've got another year to go before I hang it up and pass the baton. It will definitely be time to do so, because the intensity of this work is such that you just can't do it for too long without crashing. What gives me confidence in the future is seeing the actions of those around me, and especially those coming up in the ranks who will replace me and my peers.
Personally, I'm tired of the "terrorism is really politics" cry that seems to be encouraged by those within the press corps who portray all in the negative in the quest for more sponsorship money and a bigger byline. That's just crap and they know it.
No, I can't discount what I've seen and what I've been involved in since I got here. Yes, there is a difference between the political world and the professional one, and there are darned few who have been able to bridge both. I've seen some do it successfully, and others who didn't. BUT within the professionals who maintain the watch, prepare for the worst, respond to it all and deal with everyone's hell, thank God we have people who are willing, capable and successful in this - from combatting (and it IS combat) terrorism to battling Mother Nature.
Yes, this is an emotional topic for me, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I AM PROUD of this work and those with whom I work.