How 9 11 affected me as a Pole.

So we all know what happened on 9 11. Well we had a ton of new laws come into affect because of the attacks on new york. And are Country.........

So what happen to me is I have always used Chris as my name .. ever since Grammer school. The nuns at Five Holy Marters did not let me use Kryzsztof at school as a kid. Something about your in america and you spell it like this CHRIS. So since I could write as a kid I used Chris . Now Flash to the year 2005 july. Actually June I went to DMV to find out why I did not receive my new drivers license. My old one was expiring and the new one that I applied for never came. So I went to DMV and got in line and an hour or so they called my number. I tell the clerk , I never got my new license. So she looks me up and while looking at my drivers license laying on the table . She says to me your license is suspended. And she snatches my drivers license off the table.
So at this point I'm thinking Run. Run. LOl
Any way she was joking and hands me my License and says it has been suspended .
I say why . Why would I have a suspended drivers licence.. She says I don't know , I have never seen this suspencion code before. So she gets a manager and the manager has no clue . They ask another worker and she has no clue . Than some lady comes to the counter wanting to ask the manager a question unrelated to me . And says what are you all looking for . And The manager says You ever see this code . The lady looks and says oh yes his license is suspended by Home land security. The new laws. he has to prove who he is at Social Security. Imagine, I was born here and I have to prove who I am. She even asked if I was Legally in this country. LOL It was not funny at the time. So I was on Identification Verification Hold.
But I had to go to Social Security and show them a Birth Certificate. My drivers license, Passport. And what it was is that my Social security card , and Birth certificate says Kryzsztof. So I had to go through like an interigation with security personel.
It was not a fun day. But they said legally my name is not Chris. Its kryzsztof. And if I wanted to keep Chris , I would have to get an attorney..
No Thanks . I decided to go Back to Kryzsztof.
Thats when all the fun began with the credit card companies. The bank. DMV was the easy part with the Security release form in hand.
So I'm Happy to show people my Credit cards with kryzs on it, and my new drivers license in hand. Its a little funny how many people can't pronouce Kryzs.
So I'm polish and Damm proud of it.

Oh buy the way Sams Club would not change it.
They said if I was a women they would change it. But since I'm a man. I would have to go through a security check. Like there that important. Fricken Wall mart.............lol


God Bless Poland and the good ole USA

Kryzs, I think it's great that you can have a sense of humor about all of that. Oh, I love the part about Sam's Club. It's unfortunate that you had to go through all of that, but I guess that's just the world we live in now!

Angelia

so, why did they do that, did you ever find out?

I also had to send in a paper, our family was here before the first world war.
were pretty much established. but of course, another brilliant idea.

I am sure it didnt pin point any terrorists while making this law.

You don't really need a lawyer to change your name, you'd just need to do a bunch of paperwork and go before a magistrate or judge.

IMHO, Kryzsztof is much better.

That was really interesting.

i have it easy as my name is Anna which is spelt the same in both coutries, it's just the pronounication which is slightly different. My family & Polish friends call me Ania, everyone else calls me Anna.

Me to .. my name is Anna but everyone calls me Ania in my family or Anusia.. or something but ya everyone else just calls me Anna...

What's Sam's Club, some kind of loyalty card/nectar points jobbie? Either way, one hell of a tale there Kryzs... thanks for sharing.

Sams club is a big discount retail outlet thats sells everything from food to auto parts.
You have to pay a yearly membership fee then they give you a I.D. card to get in the door.
Owned by Sam Walton "Walmart"

Yes angelina .

it is the world we live in..

Its a mind blowing Experience. And I hope it stays the way it is.

as i don't want to see anyone here in the USA get hurt. By someone upset at our Government........

Pease

It has to do with the new laws, Because of 9 11 We have a lot of changes in our laws.

For instance The way they got me was thru my drivers license.

What happen is the new terrorist laws created a joint effort. with the many different Departments of are government..

So Social Security is now attached computer wise to the Department of Motor Vechicles .

And My name was not a match because of the spelling.
And it red flagged me. As a Identification Verification hold .

So as more laws are installed they will be able to match people buy name or what ever else they can do to try to track people and verify who they are.

So I'm sure a lot of people of ethnic origin with something not matching will be verified.

Its to make us all safe ..............

At that moment in time , being in a security room with armed people ..


I was not going to question them..

I just said Kryzsztof sound perfectly good to me.....................

Perhaps change your name to aunty Samantha (as opposed to uncle Sam)

My name is western but Clint Eastwood sounds good. Hmmm.....

I like it as Kryzsztof.. Thank you very much

You are KRZYSZTOF / KRZYś / KRZYSIEK (CORRECTLY)