Exposing rats in the social security system – and the coronavirus blues

9am-line-at-SF-Social-Security-Adm-bldg.-1098-Valencia-in-2015-by-J.J.-Barrow-Mission-Local, Exposing rats in the social security system – and the coronavirus blues, Local News & Views
The Social Security Administration’s office at 1098 Valencia St. in San Francisco saw a lot of foot traffic before the pandemic, but the COVID-19 closure forced all business to occur remotely. – Photo: J.J. Barrow, Mission Local

by Paradise Free Jah Love Supreme

There are going to be some terrible horror stories coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic when it’s over. 

Especially for Black people in America who have already lost over a million small businesses and 70,000 lives! A disproportionately high number of over 500,000 lives have been lost in this country, including over 30,000 lives lost here in California alone! 

How is it that the so-called dark, backward, “third world” continent of Africa has lost only 25,000 lives?! How is it that the whole continent of Africa has lost fewer lives than the “progressive” state of California?!

Already we have lost more iconic Black lives in the first three months of 2021 than any other year I can remember! Including the co-founder of The Supremes, Mary Wilson, actress Cicely Tyson, Hall of Fame basketball great Elgin Baylor, baseball legend Hank Aaron, boxer Leon Spinks, actor Yaphet Kotto, singer Bunny Wailer and legendary boxer Marvelous Marvin Hagler! 

Fellow legend Thomas Hearns says Hagler died because of the vaccine he was given, but Hagler’s Caucasian widow, who will be inheriting Hagler’s millions, denies it.

Then there’s the story of the young brother who went to visit his ailing grandmother in the hospital, but because of the coronavirus protocol, not even family members are allowed to visit their hospitalized loved ones. Nevertheless, the young man came back later insisting on seeing his grandmother. 

I once heard someone say that doctors and the medical profession are to Black women what the police are to Black men!

However, this time he was told that his grandmother had died because of the virus. But, determined and not content with this answer, the young man managed to sneak into that part of the hospital where his grandmother was and found her in a body bag … still breathing!

I once heard someone say that doctors and the medical profession are to Black women what the police are to Black men! Nurses have lost their jobs for blowing the whistle on hospital mistreatment of and discrimination against Black people during the pandemic behind closed doors.

I’ve experienced firsthand some underhandedness from the social security system, whose doors have been closed to the public for over a year. Recently, I turned 65 and started to receive my social security “benefits” in April 2019. 

Then one day I get a letter in the mail that says I have been overpaid over $800! What! Then another letter comes that says I have been overpaid over $1,000! 

Finally, they settle on the $800 overpayment and say that since the benefits I receive are slightly over $500 a month, I will receive no monies in January and about $200 in February in order to pay back what I was overpaid!

Imagine being on a fixed income and not getting your monthly check! If I was overpaid, why take a senior citizen’s whole check? It’s not like the social security system will go bankrupt if I make partial monthly payments! 

Then, I get another letter that says in order to pay back what I owe I will not be getting a check in March, but I will start getting my Social Security benefits again in April! It’s like there are some crooks in the system so greedy that they can’t even get their crookedness straight or remember the methodology of their treachery. 

Or they just don’t care. But I have saved the paperwork! Imagine somebody in the system robbing not one, but 10 seniors of $800 each, and pocketing $8,000! If they did this to 100 seniors, they would be stealing $80,000!

Closure-notices-at-Social-Security-office-1098-Valencia-St.-SF-0321-by-Eva-Markiewicz-1400x947, Exposing rats in the social security system – and the coronavirus blues, Local News & Views
Closures are here to stay, at least for now. Since March 17, 2020, all social security offices have been closed to in-person business. That should change soon due to recent vaccine distribution efforts. – Photo: Eva Markiewicz

Imagine going through your whole life having to deal with scams and con artists and racism and discrimination – and then facing the same thing when it comes to your retirement funds owed to you by the government!?

I have not received my social security benefits for three months: January, February and March! Why am I paying over $1,600 for a mysterious $800 overpayment?

I smell a rat! I used to wonder why security guards were needed at Social Security offices. Now I know why!

On top of that, I recently discovered that Social Security has been taking $150 a month out of my earnings to pay for Plan B coverage I did not ask for! If you have Plan A Medicare you get to go to the emergency room for free if you need emergency medical assistance. Plan B allows you to see a doctor and receive certain medications at little to no cost.

They have been taking $150 a month out of my benefits because they assumed that I am an old, feeble, sickly person like many people my age and they have taken over $3,000 out of my benefits for something I did not sign up for!

I’m not some feeble old person that you can push around and rob blind because you represent a big institution whose doors are closed to the public and who doesn’t answer the phone.

I didn’t sign up for it because I couldn’t believe what I was reading about how Plan B works!?! Bottom line is, after working for over 40 years or so, and having monies taken out of my checks for Social Security, at 65 they want you to start giving chunks of that money back monthly as insurance in case you get injured or sick!

What a racket! They don’t understand! I am the new Black man! The new man, with knowledge of self! I am a young senior who grew up on the knowledge of health experts like Dick Gregory and Dr. Sebi! 

Not only do I not PLAN on getting sick or needing their medicines, I don’t plan on getting old! And I don’t even plan on dying! Actually, I’m expecting to get younger! 

This is why new babies are constantly being born in the world, so that every now and then one of them will give the world a new thought! If I get sick I will physician myself! Give me my money!

I’m not some feeble old person that you can push around and rob blind because you represent a big institution whose doors are closed to the public and who doesn’t answer the phone. Millions of seniors are out there alone with no one to assist them against the most despicable people on Earth who would rob them of their life savings during a world health crisis! 

No, I am a well-seasoned, articulate Black man who will put the indiscretions of the whole social security system on blast until they wind up on “60 Minutes” and give me back my $5,000 and all the millions of dollars you have robbed millions of senior citizens of throughout the country!

Paradise is president of the International Black Writers and Artists, was honored with his own day, Oct. 6, by the city of Oakland, and may be heard performing at True Vibe Records Presentstrueviberecords.com. Find him on Facebook @ParadiseFreejahloveSupreme.