No Security Clearance For Me

I'm basing this on what's in the news these days, not on any attempt to get a security clearance and failing to do so. I guess that means the primary reason I won't be getting any security clearance is that I'm not asking for one. So, obviously, I'm not too broken up about my presumed disqualification in getting
 one. It's the "whys" of my not qualifying, presuming what's in the news is accurate, that are what this posting is about.

First: I'm not related to Donald Trump. Ohh, Lordy, Halleluia!!!

Second, I'm not likely to get every answer absolutely correct. Seventy years is a lot of time to forget seemingly unimportant details. Had I been living my life with the goal of a security clearance, I would have either lived it much differently in terms of documenting everything remotely relevant, or differently in terms of starting much earlier to get that clearance.

Third, I know too many people that I don't know. Doesn't make sense? Let's try it another way. You need to list your foreign contacts. Just these last few years, for example, I have met numerous people that I've learned - in asking that snowbird question of where do you return to in the hot summer? - hail from various parts of Canada or the U.K. These conversations register just to the point of my noting another Canadian, for example. They don't register in terms of coming away with full names or precise locations, occupations, and what-have-you. My daughter and her husband have invited a pair of Canadians to live in their house for the last several years, and besides being very personable people, all I can come up with is first names and a hazy idea that they hail from one of the eastern provinces. (Sorry guys.) Even our next-door neighbors are getting ready to return to B.C., but don't ask me their last names either. Larry and Sharon just aren't enough information.

Going back many years, I met foreign students from around the world. For most, the relationship ended at knowing - at the time - a name and country. None happened to become friends. Even now, the only name I can remember is of a young man (from church camp?) with a name fascinating to say in the way it rolled off the tongue. I can only approximate it after all these years: Olomuyawe Osiname. It was a matter of pride that I learned to pronounce it in full. This rendering may or may not be correct. It has, after all,been over 50 years. Only the poetry of the name sticks. My youngest participated in an exchange program through high school German class that involved us hosting a young man and his family hosting my son. Names? Not bloody likely. Memories included his being unimpressed with our very quiet lifestyle, and our being impressed with the variety of German chocolates brought back to Minnesota.

Fourth, I just realized I lied in the beginning of this posting. I actually did pass a security clearance type of background check many years ago. I hadn't asked for it, and didn't know until I was told about clearing it so I wouldn't be alarmed if I noticed I was being followed. It happened way back when I was doing family day care. It turned out that one of "my" kids  had a relative in a very sensitive government position. Threats against the child in order to influence the relative had been made in the past, and luckily foiled. When this relative was back in the area, protection would be assigned to this child, and I was reassured that this was a good thing, should I ever even notice. (They were supposed to be all but invisible.) I was also never to mention it - and hey, look how that turned out. However, the relative is likely long deceased by now and the child likely a grandparent, with any threat long vanished. Even so, just writing this little bit now is likely enough to kill any chance of my ever getting a security clearance.

Good thing I'm not applying for one, eh? And yes, that earlier situation was enough to truly blow my mind!