Call me crazy, but I’ve always been a fan of the government, especially on the local level. I got my start in middle school working on a bond issue for my school district that would help raise much needed funds to repair old structures as well as build new buildings. It took a lot of phone calls, door-to-doors and letter writings, but the bond issue passed. This success gave me faith in the government. If you cared enough and put in a little elbow grease, you could get anything accomplished.
Since then I have stayed involved in government, community development and local volunteer groups throughout high school, undergrad and even law school. On some days I still feel that same pride I had in middle school. I contact an agency on behalf of a veteran’s family regarding his purple heart. On other days, my outlook on the government can become pretty lackluster. I’ve worked with student-led groups in conjunction with local government to implement citywide projects that seemed to only have positives. These same projects seem to bogged down in committees, public forums and city council votes, and students who were freshman when the idea was first created were lucky to see the project come to fruition by their graduation.
Just when I start feeling discouraged, someone or something comes along that refreshes my faith in the government and the people dedicated to helping it run. This week’s restorer of humanity is a citizen of Jackson who’s taken it upon himself to fix the potholes in his own and surrounding neighborhoods. The “Pothole Patchman” as the neighbors have named the mystery repairman, has fixed more than 55 holes with spare materials. Sure he is not a government official, at least not that we know of, but he is certainly providing a huge government service. He is a man who saw a public need and rolled up his sleeves and fixed the problem.
It is people like the “Pothole Patchman” that restore my faith in the government. While the government might show its strength in its laws, courts and expansive buildings and agencies, it truly shines in its hardworking, dedicated people. Whether it’s mayors, congressman, or concerned citizens, individuals committed to helping others, solving problems and giving back to the community are key to a well-run government. If government officials and citizens alike rolled up our sleeves like the “Pothole Patchman” we would rarely feel discouraged in our government. If we would put in half as much action into fixing problems as we do complaining, we would quickly run out of things to complain about. Think this is too lofty an idea? How about we at least try it first.
Anna Rush is a law student from Hattiesburg. She graduated from Mississippi State University in 2011. Follow her on Twitter @annakrush.
