During the Christmas break, several readers wrote guest columns that appeared in this space. There are more to come.

One guest columnist, Marc Beskin, is an NTEU chapter president and an IRS employee. He said that in some places and some jobs, working for Uncle Sam is downright dangerous.  He said it might not be long before many civil servants feel they have to go under cover.

(Over the weekend a group of self-styled militiamen occupied the headquarters of a U.S. wildlife refuge in Oregon!!!)

The column hit a nerve. Here’s what some folks are saying:

” I once worked for the IRS. We were in a leased facility with other offices and private companies. We were advised to use the back entrance and NOT wear our ID badges lest some angry taxpayer go after us. A few years ago in Texas a so-called “disgruntled taxpayer” flew a private plan into an IRS office, killing at least one employee.” — Dangerous Out There!

“I worked for a tiny agency under the Justice Department that helped to resolve racial conflicts. Our RD always arranged to exchange the government plates for plain state-issued plates‎ on the government cars we drove. We often found ourselves in areas where the government was considered the enemy and though we might be able to seek shelter if violence broke out, there was no way the vehicles could defend themselves. A government plate might represent the FBI or DHS (back then INS) or ATF and there were invariably persons around with serious grudges.” — Shelia

In a guest column, M. Beskin wrote:

“I can only imagine that in the not too distant future we will all be issued clever disguises to fool the public: Maybe … or toilet plunger and overalls.”

That seems to be the most appropriate uniform, considering all the “stuff” up with which we often put (to mangle a phrase from Churchill).

Please give M. Beskin my best!
Happy New Year to you and all your readers and friends!

Regards// Larry Brady
Security Specialist
Department of Happy Horsestuff, Can’t Manage Stuff
Baltimore MD
“It’s always reassuring to find you’ve made the right enemies.”
— William J. (“Wild Bill”) Donovan

“I just recently received one of those robo-calls ‘This is the IRS. We are sending deputies to your house to arrest you. You must call this number NOW.’

        Read more: Mike Causey

“I reported the number to the local phone company and the FCC. Turned out to be a highjacked cell phone in Houston, Texas.

“The legitimate IRS contacted me once via registered mail. I was requested to call Atlanta. The agent was professional — and not mean-spirited. We resolved the issue with the one call.

“Best of New Years to you,”

Jim S.

Nearly Useless Factoid

By Michael  O’Connell

The earliest use of the phrase “Danger is my middle name” can be traced to “The Catus Wildcat”, a 1954 children’s play by James S. Wallerstein.

Source: Quora

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