Homemakers

Greetings,
I would like to salute those workers who toil around the clock, 365 days a year to make and maintain the homes that are the fundamental building blocks of society. Indeed it is the home that provides the base for all other operations of human endeavor. The most essential of which is the bringing forth and nurturing of the children, the future workers needed to build the society, maintain and advance it. I am sure few of us would question the proposal that the job of raising our families and maintaining our homes is anything less than the most sacred and ultimate responsibility. Yet what is apparent, is an almost universal culture that at least takes for granted, at best patronizes and in effect, through attitude and public policy, seems to disregard and disrespect the role and contributions of this sector of the work force. I am tempted to point my finger at the dominant global cultural of the west and I do believe that it is in large part the source of this dilemma.However, I cannot ignore the fact that, this dynamic obtains almost all organized societies. Kudos to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for paying attention to these sectors of society in a concrete way.
Just a few points to illustrate my proposal, the classic definitions of a successful society in contemporary times are rooted in a very narrow, ironically simplistic concept of economics. True, there is a the very necessary struggle around the production and distribution of resources as a primary human responsibility. Into this paradigm, the worker, or institution that produces most of the goods and offers most of the services would seem to be the most desired but is often not the most valued. Those individuals and structures that control and dominate the system, affirm their value by awarding to themselves the power and the glory, that basically maintains their position and enriches them materially and financially. In this process the laborer and the thinkers who actually conceptualize, design and produce the wealth are relegated to the bottom of the ladder of society. This is not just a question of status, but has devastating material impact on those without power. Consider the plight of the slave plantation, the most productive being the most abused and least rewarded. Consider the plight of workers today, that in this time of massive, unheralded productivity in the world, their living conditions, life experience of their families remain is serious jeopardy. It follows that those who toil in the homes would be kicked to the curb and the vital contributions of the homemaker be seen as almost irrelevant.
But here, in this spot, pause to recognize, respect and honor the work of those , who make the work of society possible, is in order. This is for the parents, who whether they have a lot or a little, manage to figure it out and house, clothe and feed their children and families, so that they can then go forth to contribute to society.What is their salary, what is their worth as measured by the defining parameters of income? In popular almost institutionalized questions eg "How much is Oprah worth? etc, the measure of our significance to society indeed our human worth, is reduced to our ability to generate finance capital. Those homes provide the vital space refuge, replenishment and production, that is the base upon which everything that society is and that is celebrated as achievement and expression of the superior humanity of the power elite. Today and forever heartfelt appreciation to the homemakers.