What Happened to Security?

I'm not talking about Homeland or war or military or any of those things we have frequently associated or heard associated with the word "security." I'm talking about the word itself! I called my bank the other day with a question about my account. I gave my name and my account number and I was told, she didn't need my account, she needed my "social." My social what? Here I am speaking to someone in bookkeeping at my bank, and they don't need the account number . . . Right down the road Bank of America is offering credit cards and you don't need a "social" to get one. So what do they 'not need' when you call with a question? Now, I realize in the name of national security, somehow all this has been explained to we, mere "citizens" just schlepping around under the watchful eye of our government. When my husband and I opened new accounts when we moved, we got the big schpeel . . ."according to the US Patriot Act" they were basically entitled to know everything but my bra size to protect our country from money laundering terrorists. But apparently anybody with no ties to the US and has no "social" just gets to do whatever they would choose, on credit! Does anyone making these rules know that an airline ticket can be purchased with a credit card? But this new line of credit without a "social" has to do with illegal immigrants, and obviously making that easier on them. Oh, that's right, the terrorists were not illegals, they had passports and visas. So, I don't get it. Is the security of the citizens so far removed from the agenda, it needs only to be removed from our vocabulary? This illegal immigration and social security has become an interesting subject for e-mails. I can't call it spam because I really know a number of people that think these internet petitions are going to make a difference. After all, it's on the internet, that makes it so! One of these so called heart felt, personal e-mails that is not spam, but has 50 isp addresses in the address line, just particularly touched me. I'm sure everyone has seen it, as I've received it numerous times myself. Interestingly, everyone I've received it from, is under the age of 65, yet without the need for gainful employment, but that's another blog. Now, on to this dear, heart warming e-mail. It's all about someone's elderly mother who was now a widow and had been a homemaker her entire life and her husband had been a veteran and she was having difficulty making ends meet on her social security check. Oh, and she splurges to have a pizza delivered once a week, and calls that eating out . . . and it goes on and on. As I read this, then received it repeatedly, I thought. 'She got to be a homemaker. Withholding is so high now and the cost of living so outrageous, our daughters don't have that option. Couples are having difficulty making ends meet working 50 hours a week, with two incomes. The war of his generation ended . . . If some little old lady is really calling for pizza delivery, without fear of opening her door at night, then she needs to be welcomed to the real world and discover that all those that are paying taxes, also call that eating out!'

And she needs to realize she is the last generation to hear the word "security," attached to the word social, in the form of a check.

And when they had taken security from . . . they let them go. the Acts