Refuting Racist Anti-Social Security Rumors

The Internet is full of Social Security lies, and some are based in racist misconceptions. Tom Margenau writes in his new Social Security And You column:

Q: I would like you to comment on the attached email. In it, you’ll see a photo that shows a waiting room in a typical Social Security office. I’ve seen similar scenes in my own local office. No wonder Social Security is in trouble if these kinds of people are ripping off the system!

A: Who are “these kinds of people”? To answer the question, let me describe the photo for the rest of my readers. Labeled “Our tax dollars at work: Social Security office waiting room — Austin, Texas,” the image shows a room full of chairs. Sitting in those chairs is a collection of mostly young to middle-aged people. Almost everyone in the picture is African-American or Hispanic. Above the picture is this question: “Do you see any gray or white haired retired folks?”

And this bit of vitriolic text accompanies the picture:

My friend went to his Social Security office to get a Medicare card. He took a picture of the waiting room. Please tell me if you can find a retired person in the place!!!! It’s called “disability” insurance!!!! You no longer have to wonder why Social Security is broke!!! These people do not pay into the system, nor are they disabled!!! Please spread this picture to everyone you know. Our country is going broke on this fraud!!! Please also go down to your Social Security office and take a picture and post it on the Internet. It just might wake up the country as to what is going on!!!

Gosh. Where and how do I begin to deal with this pile of Internet excrement? There’s so much I could point out that is absolutely idiotic.