It has been three years since I've last traveled back home to the United States. My trip has been a somber one, but also one of great comfort. Despite the circumstances of my trip, I've had the opportunity to meet friends and relatives, many of whom I have not seen for several years.
The comfort and joy of returning home would slowly dissolve upon discovering that I've returned to nation that has become almost unrecognizable. The hope, optimism and pride of a nation seems to have been replaced with a growing sense of despair and hopelessness. Wherever I go there seems to exist a profound and unavoidable sense of malaise. Once proud patriotic citizens have been demoralized by the relentless prolonged siege from the enemy within and from a government that continues to enable those who would seek our demise.
Just how bad have things become? An experience of mine from last week provides an illustration of just how demented things have become.
Last week I went into small Texas bank here in my family's hometown to open a bank account. I took with me my US passport, my birth certificate and my social security card. Glancing over my photo passport, the bank manager of First Bank & Trust East Texas politely told me that they could not accept my US passport as a primary form of identification, and therfore I would be unable to open a bank account. My birth certificate and social security card were equally deemed by the bank to be useless forms of personal identification.
My initial shock and disbelief though would be replaced with outrage when I found out what the bank would accept as a primary form of identification. Among the list of approved primary forms of identification accepted by the bank was the Mexican matricula consular card.
First Bank & Trust East Texas wouldn't accept a US passport issued by the United States Government as a primary form of identification, but they will readily accept a Mexican matricula consular card issued by the Government of Mexico as a primary form of identification!
My telephone call later to the bank's head office in Diboll, Texas expressing my outrage that a form of identification issued by the Government of Mexico would be accepted, and that a passport issued by the United States Government was rejected, was pretty much met with contempt and unconcern. When I explained that my United States passport has been accepted as a form of identification in various other countries around the globe, the response was "I'm sorry sir, but that's our bank's policy, we no longer accept United States passports as a form of identification"
Where is the outrage, and at what point do Americans and Texans take their country back?
In my opinion, a Texas bank that would spit on the United States and on American citizens and then embrace foreign nationals like this deserves to be shut down and have it's banking license revoked out of nothing more than principle. The directors of this bank and anyone who would dare stand in the way or impede justice being delivered deserves to be tarred and feathered.
If you feel this is an outrage and that it is time to fight back, feel free to contact Texas Bank Commissioner Randall S. James.
The comfort and joy of returning home would slowly dissolve upon discovering that I've returned to nation that has become almost unrecognizable. The hope, optimism and pride of a nation seems to have been replaced with a growing sense of despair and hopelessness. Wherever I go there seems to exist a profound and unavoidable sense of malaise. Once proud patriotic citizens have been demoralized by the relentless prolonged siege from the enemy within and from a government that continues to enable those who would seek our demise.
Just how bad have things become? An experience of mine from last week provides an illustration of just how demented things have become.
Last week I went into small Texas bank here in my family's hometown to open a bank account. I took with me my US passport, my birth certificate and my social security card. Glancing over my photo passport, the bank manager of First Bank & Trust East Texas politely told me that they could not accept my US passport as a primary form of identification, and therfore I would be unable to open a bank account. My birth certificate and social security card were equally deemed by the bank to be useless forms of personal identification.
My initial shock and disbelief though would be replaced with outrage when I found out what the bank would accept as a primary form of identification. Among the list of approved primary forms of identification accepted by the bank was the Mexican matricula consular card.
First Bank & Trust East Texas wouldn't accept a US passport issued by the United States Government as a primary form of identification, but they will readily accept a Mexican matricula consular card issued by the Government of Mexico as a primary form of identification!
My telephone call later to the bank's head office in Diboll, Texas expressing my outrage that a form of identification issued by the Government of Mexico would be accepted, and that a passport issued by the United States Government was rejected, was pretty much met with contempt and unconcern. When I explained that my United States passport has been accepted as a form of identification in various other countries around the globe, the response was "I'm sorry sir, but that's our bank's policy, we no longer accept United States passports as a form of identification"
Where is the outrage, and at what point do Americans and Texans take their country back?
In my opinion, a Texas bank that would spit on the United States and on American citizens and then embrace foreign nationals like this deserves to be shut down and have it's banking license revoked out of nothing more than principle. The directors of this bank and anyone who would dare stand in the way or impede justice being delivered deserves to be tarred and feathered.
If you feel this is an outrage and that it is time to fight back, feel free to contact Texas Bank Commissioner Randall S. James.
Lao, I hope your heart is healing after such a sad time. You and your family are continuously in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteYou're experience doesn't surprise me, but it does angers me. In a country that is known for its freedom and opportunity, you can hardly even raise your voice to tip the scales of change any longer without making it your whole life purpose, and even at THAT, good luck being heard.
I've traveled overseas several times and upon returning to the states each time, I felt a stale burden of defeat, with less freedom to be a person, a woman, an entrepreneur, a wife, a Christian, a Caucasian - than I had felt even in a place such as Turkey, surprisingly.
My brother in South Korea had an experience not exactly like yours, but similar in comparison to the noticeable differences in America vs Non America, only he came to discover that Americans are simply massively overweight, pain stakingly rude and severely "entitled." (Story here: http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-cfOs5.0heqrkKxeibuGWpqXpM6ao?p=104)
The price of freedom. Unfortunately, most Americans don't realize our freedoms' intensifying state of limbo. Not to be negative, but its only getting worse. I may decide to move my family out of this country before the next election.
Kate,
ReplyDeleteYour brother's observations are spot on Kate and his story gave me a chuckle.
What surprises me the most though Kate is general lack of concern of many people here. I'm of the opinion now that many simply don't realize what is at stake.
Agreed, my friend. And I think most people in this country choose to believe that events as tragic (or more severe) as 9/11 can't happen again, and as far as they are concerned "didn't really happen once." Enough time has passed that 9/11 is a distant memory. I heard today that because we haven't had a direct "hit" in 6 years, many have been led to believe that the threat has been drastically alleviated. Who could assume such foolishness?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy reading your blog. Its refreshing to hear a clear, educated perspective of reality, and to be reminded of the past and present fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. God bless.
Your experience has been stuck in the back of my brain since I first read it when you posted it over two years ago. It felt like deja vu all over again a couple of weeks ago, when a Houston-area Walmart refused to accept a disabled vet's VA-issued photo ID in order for him to pay for his purchase using a credit card. When I confronted a member of management to complain, and further discovered that, while rejecting a US gov't-issued VA ID they would accept the matricula consular, I made a proud spectacle of myself in the store. I am on a one-woman crusade to expose Walmart for this unpatriotic policy.
ReplyDelete