So close

It was a pleasant hour-and-a-half at the local social security office yesterday. Peoples of many diverse enthicities, speaking many forms of English were united in a common ordeal. We exchanged jokes about who had the better number and commiserated about how long
we had been waiting. All in all it was a lovely melting pot experience, but I wasn't the least bit sad when my number, C313 was finally called. By some strange coincidence, the same woman who helped me last time was the one who called my number. She didn't know me from Eve, but her compassion last time made me more at ease as I presented the documentation- his birth certificate and the new, proof-of-existence letter from our family doctor. After a few questions, a close examination of my photo ID and a signature, I was a handed a significant piece of paper.

It is with amazement and joy that I announce that Mason's application for a SSN was accepted. Now, before you celebrate prematurely, let me explain that just because the application was accepted does NOT mean that they will issue him a number or card. First they have to verify that difficult-to-obtain, delayed-filed birth certificate. If, and only if, all the information matches, they will most likely issue the long-awaited number, this is what that precious and significant piece of paper promises.

There are many people who choose not to acquire a SSN for their children, for one reason and another and they have my understanding. We have chosen to comply with this farce simply because we hope that if we follow these rules they will leave us to live in peace. It may not be fair, but I am not necessarily interested in fairness, not believing this to be an inalienable right. That newborns must apply for a tax id number for a system they will not be contributing too for at least a decade is ridiculus. That we must use this tax id as proof of identity in order to claim our children as deductions for income tax purposes seems more ridiculus still. There must be a better way but until there is a legal alternative, we will stay within the system.