Where Stereotypes are Born

[susandennis]

Those of you in the United States may be fairly familiar with the stereotype of a government employee. I try to steer clear of stereotypes as much as possible but I got slapped in the face with this one today. I know exactly where it was born.

I stopped by the Federal Building in downtown Seattle this morning. Now I'm a child of the 60's. I do not have natural warm fuzzy thoughts about mean looking young men in uniforms with guns. As I walked into the building, I was accosted by one of these...

"You need to step over here" - over here appeared to be a security setup that would put even Regan National Airport to shame. The five armed grim looking uniformed gentlemen grunted commands that involved my taking off my poncho, my backpack, my jacket, emptying my pockets and turning them out so they could see and going through the security archway and then getting wanded.

Just when I thought I was done, one of them barked "driverslicensemilitaryidorpassport" I had to make him bark it a couple of times before I could understand what he was saying. And, apparently, using the word 'please' is against federal regulations.

Then I got to go to the IRS office.

There, rather than browsing the bins of forms and booklets like I wanted, I was made to sit in a booth with a large man in a very sad looking very old K-Mart shirt and tell him what I wanted. I'm pretty sure he did not have the skills to smile - at least he didn't use them - maybe he wasn't allowed. At least he wasn't armed.

I got a bunch of stuff and got my ass out of there. Ugh. My taxes at work. It didn't make me feel safe or cared for or anything but creepy and crawly with flashbacks to Kent State.