Elon Musk Helps People. Let’s Recognize His Public Service | Opinion

You probably know him as the eccentric billionaire who owns a global social media platform and has designed some of the weirdest cars on the road today.

However, there are many Americans who see him as a passionate entrepreneur who steps in to help them when the government cannot.

This year, Elon Musk has shown what good can be accomplished when you shed the chains of political correctness and focus on doing the right thing.

We know the White House will not award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom any time soon—that would mean acknowledging the power of capitalism and giving a platform to a vocal critic of the Biden administration.

Congress, however, does have the ability—and I would even say the duty—to recognize Musk for his public service.

The Congressional Gold Medal is Congress‘ highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals.

An immigrant who came to the United States as a young college student with big aspirations, Elon Musk has lived the American dream and is actively working to ensure that Americans from all walks of life can achieve their own dream.

This is not just conjecture. Elon has proven it time and again.

When Hurricane Helene destroyed parts of Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee, Elon Musk jumped into action and deployed Starlink routers to communities that had been disconnected from the outside world.

With no roads in or out, no cell service, no wifi, and no power, thousands of Americans had no way to contact their loved ones or emergency services.

With the FCC declining to partner with Musk to have Starlink on standby to be deployed in times of disaster, Musk called upon private citizens and organizations to help distribute routers throughout the region.

Partnering with the Cajun Navy, Dr. Phil, retired NASCAR drivers, and more, Elon Musk delivered critical resources to desperate Americans when they were most vulnerable.

My family was one of those fortunate enough to benefit from Elon’s generosity in the aftermath of Helene.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, Musk lept back into action, providing Starlink connectivity to those affected. In these communities, the need for wifi and cell service is critical to ensuring emergency services can reach people in need and allow families to connect with their loved ones.

We have already seen Musk do it in Western North Carolina. With an ally in Governor Ron DeSantis, Musk has the ability to connect more people even faster in the aftermath of Milton.

Many of Musk’s critics are pointing to the entrepreneur’s posts on social media to downplay the work Musk is doing in these communities. What they forget, however, is that the questions he is asking about the government’s response are the same ones many people affected by Helene and Milton are asking. Southern Appalachia feels abandoned by our federal government. While FEMA and government resources are on the ground, those who need them the most do not feel or see their presence. Musk is giving these people a platform to raise their concerns at a level they could not have reached on their own.

Long before Helene hit, Musk was making philanthropic gifts with totals in the millions. From donating $1 million so schools in Flint, Michigan, can have safe and clean water to donating tens of millions to Cameron County, Texas, after a SpaceX rocket blew up there—Elon Musk continues to use his wealth for good.

Indeed, Helene and Milton were not the only times Musk has stepped in when the government failed to act swiftly.

Just last month, a SpaceX craft successfully docked on the International Space Station to rescue astronauts who had been stranded there for months.

What started as a billionaire’s dream of private space travel has turned into a company that rivals international governments and has the ability to perform life-saving space rescues and feats of engineering magic.

This weekend, Musk’s SpaceX made even more engineering history when it successfully caught a launch booster, preventing the booster from crashing back down to Earth.

When these boosters hit the ground, their explosions can displace wildlife and release toxic chemicals into the surrounding environment. This advancement will prevent such tragedies and have great benefits for the environment.

Whether it is helping stranded Americans in Southern Appalachia connect to the outside world or delivering astronauts stranded in Earth’s orbit, Elon Musk is filling the growing gap between the private and public sectors.

So yes, while we can all agree that the Cybertruck is a certified jump scare when you pass it on the interstate, we should accept that Elon Musk is stepping up when Americans need him most.

An immigrant who came to this country, lived the American dream, and is compassionately helping Americans from sea to space is the perfect recipient of our federal government’s highest civilian honors.

Jake Matthews is a native of southern Appalachia and Director of Media Services for JLK Political Strategies, an award-winning national Republican consulting firm.

The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.