In case you missed it:

Last week, a shopper at a Trader Joes in New Jersey recognized the cashier.  It was actor Geoffrey Owens, who played Elvin Tibideaux on The Cosby Show back in the ’80s.  She snapped some photos, sent them to a tabloid, and a media firestorm erupted.

Thankfully, the vast majority of people came to Owen’s defense.  Here was a successful actor and family man, who through either choice, circumstance, or a little of both, was paying the bills by working at Trader Joes.  I use the past tense because the undue attention caused him to have to quit his job (although, to their credit, Trader Joes told him to consider it a leave of absence and to come back whenever he’d like), and a national conversation about “job shaming” came to the surface.

All honest work has dignity and worth.  Let me just start there.  It bothers me on a deep level, for example, every time someone makes an off-the-cuff remark about someone only being qualified to “flip burgers.”

Flipping burgers has dignity and worth.  Flipping burgers puts clothes on people’s backs, and food on their tables.  So does running a cash register, bagging groceries, and stocking shelves.

A few years ago someone asked me a series of semi-hostile questions about unschooling, culminating in wondering if unschoolers could go to college or if they could “just work in a trade.”

(Yes, unschoolers can go to college if they so choose, which is another topic altogether.)

But JUST a trade?  When did we become such vocational snobs?  We need people working in trades!  We need plumbers and mechanics and electricians just as much as we need doctors and lawyers and engineers.  Who gets to decide that one is worth more than the other?  Who gets to decide that one is worthy of more respect?  Of more dignity?

The fact is, we’re surrounded by hard workers on a daily basis, many of whom continually get taken for granted.  In the past couple weeks alone, we’ve utilized a car rental company, an auto shop (fender bender, anyone?), a pool repair man, waitstaff, various cashiers, a doctor, a pharmacy tech, customer service, and a whole host of staff members at a hotel.  The common thread?  People earning an honest living.  People working hard to put food on the table.  People working hard to support themselves, their loved ones, their children.  Some are working these jobs as a pit stop on their way to something else, some are working these jobs to support themselves while they pursue a less financially stable craft, some are working these jobs as long-term careers, and some are working these jobs simply because they enjoy them.  All are okay.  All are honorable.

Including, but not limited to, Geoffrey Owens working at Trader Joes.

As an interesting post-script to the story, all the publicity surrounding Owens prompted  producer Tyler Perry to offer him an acting job (which he accepted) on the seventh season of The Have and The Have Nots.   So one lady’s moment of poor judgement ended up leading him to a new opportunity, one that I truly hope he will enjoy and be enriched by.

But if that wasn’t the way the story had gone?  If he’d continued to work at Trader Joes, along with or instead of acting?

I’d at least hope he’s buoyed by the hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of people who heard about the story, and took a stand.  Hardworking people from every demographic out there.  People who won’t tolerate a fellow human being disrespected.  People who know the value of hard work, and know that not one of us is better than the other.

People who speak up at injustice, who stand on a wall at say, “Not today.  Not on my watch.”

To Mr Owens, I see you and I wish you well… no matter where your next job ends up taking you.