I was going to teach a couple sections of computer science at the university. It was for fun but I still, it seemed, had to get a work permit. On campus, I walked over to Human Resources and filled out the application. It required identification and my social security number. I filled it out and handed over my driver’s license and passport.

The person at the desk took my stuff. She looked through it carefully. “You need you driver icense and you soso curty card,” she said.

“My what?”

“You soso curty card.”

“My social security card?”

“You soso curty card.”

“My social security number isn’t enough, you need that piece of paper I got when I was 8 years old, spindled up and stuck in my ear?” I asked incredulously.

“You no get paid wifout soso curty card,” she insisted.

I was aghast. “You keep the money, just give me the work permit.”

“Wa? I take money?”

“Yes. You can have the money, just give me the work permit.”

“Okay. I take money, but I need you soso curity card.”

She held out a blank form, explaining how I could go to the social security office, provide my driver’s license and birth certificate, wait two to four weeks for a new social security card, then reapply for a work permit.

Exasperated, I just stared at her.

“Don’t wook at me,” she ordered, “Wook at paper.”

“I suppose I could use my driver’s license and passport in place of a birth certificate?” I asked.

“Yes,” she replied.

“You mean the driver’s license and passport that I HAVE RIGHT HERE?”

But nooooooo. I ended up walking away with nothing but her business card.
Myungsik Chun
Technical Record Specialist
Human Resource Services
(208) 885-3728

At home, in my attic filled full of Boy Scout badges and grade school homework (I’m a packrat from way back), I looked and looked for my original social security card. No luck, but I did find the piece of paper my social security card was attached to! The one where you fold along the dotted line and tear off the card at the bottom.

“This thing has got to be a collector’s item”, I thought. “What better way to prove…”, I paused in my thinking. “Heck, I don’t even know what I’m supposed to be proving. Somebody has got to fight the tyranny of bureaucracy – maybe me. Yeah, I’ll take this to the Supreme Court if I have to!” Then I calmed down and wondered if the tear-off won’t work, maybe she’ll take the baby bracelet I wore in the hospital with “Marty” on it.

Can I call you Marty?

You have to have a passport to teach at a college in the US? Wow. Things have sure changed. What if you didn't have a passport, the job came up and you had to start teaching soon, and so you apply for the passport, which takes a minimum of 10 weeks? My daughter's took over 3 months to get.

I know you haven't said it, but it is interesting that us Americans born are under more scrutiny than foreigners that come to our land. Seems like most of the time I tried to get support for anything I have for services I get someone who does not speak English. I first learn the language when I was 7 years old and got a late start, so it is 10x more difficult to talk to someone with a heavy accent. I once ask a South Carolinas to write down what he wanted, and now I am so lost with Russians, Mexicans, Chinese, and what have you. Just the way it is.
Long time ago, you were expected to retire from the job you held for 30-40 years. No more!

Live at the same house that you bought till you die. No more!

Everyone knew the English language and those who did not know English could not get by in life. No more!

Yeah!....those damn foreigners. They're everywhere I tell ya.......won't let us retire, won't let us live in our homes till we die, won't speak English....<tsk, tsk, tsk>.....<sigh>.......<shakes head>.......<put arms up in the air>....... Welcome to America, now go home - I always says.....

case in point Dhar!

I have sprint services, and they have sales people that cant speak English selling extra feature of the phone service, I cant understand a thing she says, but the next bill I am charge with something I never ask for. Now it took me 3 month to get it off the bill. Then they stick it back on the next month. I keep insisting that I talk to supervisor, and the supervisor can not speak English. I think its great that we have people from all over coming to America. However, we need provision of language education to get by in the land of ours.

Now I never said the foreigners wont let us live in one home, just pointing out that the reality is that outsourcing is prevalent for most corporation. the world is getting smaller and travel is easier. Labor is plentiful for cheap! I was working at a restaurant with half the employees were illegal immigrants getting paid under the table at $5 per hours with no tax deduction. I hear Roofers cant even compete with them, as they are certified and pay taxes. The illegals come in and work for cheap and probably end up more then the certified roofers and drywallers.

Health care for poverty Americans are under cut by services given to those that are not legal in this country. I am not at all saying we should not provide them, as many other country extend that kind of service for Americans when we go to their country. If you get stuck in another country and get sick, its a very nice gesture for that country to help out. However, it does cut deep in the belly of the poor all over, if illegals are getting under paid and off the taxes. Even if they do ask for your soso curty card, what good does it do if they don't go after the corporation that employs them.

So Dhar it isn't just about Foreigners. It is about returning the wealth back into the pool so we don't end up with 2 classes of people living in this country. Foreclosure of homes is an all time high in my area. More Americans are in debt and medical cost is the number one reason for bankruptcy.

ruscular, you're convincing me that sprint sucks as an organization, not that everyone in the world has to speak english.

was that your intent?

also, anyone who doesn't think america has intense, debilitating class divisions is in full-on denial.

-jon

Many other country teach several languages and it give the whole country a better advantages for business connection and higher grade point average. The foreigners that don't speak English very well, make easy targets for low paying workers. The people who employs them and take advantage of them also hurt our country economy, and the ability to pay taxes to support our infrastructure. Its not just Sprint but many corporation that outsource the jobs for cheap labor, without consequences of breaking the law.