Where Stereotypes are Born
Mar. 5th, 2004 10:24 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
susandennisThose 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.
Don't EVER do that again!
Date: 2004-03-05 10:29 am (UTC)Next time you need an IRS form or publication, go here:
http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/formspubs/index.html
That site has literally everything you might need, even "fill-in" forms you can print up, all nice and typed. Even the publications to explain the law.
Re: Don't EVER do that again!
Date: 2004-03-05 10:33 am (UTC)i don't think govt employees are better anywhere else
Date: 2004-03-05 10:30 am (UTC)Gub'mnt
Re: Gub'mnt
Date: 2004-03-05 10:50 am (UTC)Maybe when they checked Washingon on the where-do-you-want-to-work form, they thought they were headed for DC and they are just pissed?!!
And where stereotypes are destroyed...
Date: 2004-03-05 10:41 am (UTC)It's such a drastic change from California, where I moved from a year ago. There, any level of state and local government feels grubby and weary and out-of-touch.
Of course, there's always an exception: the Washington state liquor store employees aren't the most enlightened folks out there.
Re: And where stereotypes are destroyed...
Date: 2004-03-05 10:48 am (UTC)And I had the same experience in California. Everyone seemed so tired or so angry and so ready to 'get you'.
Plus, I have had the same experience with the liquor store people, too! (Are you following me??!! ha!)
Re: And where stereotypes are destroyed...
Date: 2004-03-05 01:10 pm (UTC)When you say "California" you mean...what, exactly? DMV? Los Angeles City? San Francisco? We are NOT all alike.
I invite you to Pismo Beach, in particular, although I can easily name other local offices as friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful as ours.
Re: And where stereotypes are destroyed...
Date: 2004-03-05 01:17 pm (UTC)You are so good to pipe up! Next time I live in California, Pismo Beach is going to top the list.
Re: And where stereotypes are destroyed...
Date: 2004-03-05 02:20 pm (UTC)But hey, if you ever get a chance, stop by the city offices here! Not only are we nice people, but the view is amazing.
Re: And where stereotypes are destroyed...
Date: 2004-03-05 01:08 pm (UTC)Generalizations are always dangerous, said she, generalizing.
Re: And where stereotypes are destroyed...
Date: 2004-03-05 08:02 pm (UTC)In California, government offices are often housed in 'temporary' 30 year old trailers. Libraries become video rental facilities (San Jose main, check out their Cantonese VCD collection!) or just dump books (San Francisco, oops, not enough room in the new library)... if the libraries are open at all. DMV offices (which *have* improved) still sport 1970's burnt-orange carpeting and dividers. State parks are filled with closed restrooms, eroded facilities, and outdated signage. School bus service--what's that? Litter collection alongside the freeways; they're filthy! Pothole repair? No. Are the soccer fields open at the local park? No, and the lights are likely not being repaired for night games and practice either. UC and CSU facilities? Check out these crumbling underfunded campuses.
Most of the interactions that a middle-class guy like me has with government in California have been subpar. There are some exceptions; some local governments and agencies have been able to keep up and deliver good service (a class I had at De Anza College a few years ago was great, though registration was a huge hassle.) And the California Department of Corrections is a world leader in building new, state of the art prisons.
California state government has taken so much away from cities and particularly counties that there's not much left to work with. It's sad. California--the state that's given me so much--once had it, and was the Golden State. But I feel the state has lost its luster.
Re: And where stereotypes are destroyed...
Date: 2004-03-05 08:39 pm (UTC)The relationship is just different here between citizens and their government. It's more, well, connected (for lack of a better term) here. I suspect it's that way where you are, too.
In the Bay Area and particularly Los Angeles, it's not.