Social Security makes people cringe. It gives them migraines. It causes strange noises to come out of their mouths, like scoffs and snorts and hisses. And if you’re one of the millions who rely on it, you might break out in cold sweats or have panic attacks at its mere mention.  What if we re-named it “community benefit” or better yet something like “protection for the vulnerable”? Would it still be the source of so many jokes and so much dread?

We’ve lost the essence of Social Security.

Growing up, “Social Security” was considered a fantasy, a thing that we would contribute to, but never receive. My generation’s understanding was that the baby boomers (our parents) would rely on it so heavily that there would be nothing left for us. I look back now and think ‘wow, what sad cynical kids we were!’ And pretty stupid for believing that our futures were being manipulated by forces beyond our control. The only thing we were being manipulated by was fear. It is completely within our control to demand our elected officials take steps to improve our social security system, but first we must be honest about what screwed it up in the first place.

Recently a friend showed me a letter she’d received in the mail. It was from The Senior Citizens League and it implored her to act now or risk losing her Social Security benefits to “illegal lawbreakers”. Cut through all the fear-mongering jargon and the letter plainly says it is trying to prevent 8 million workers who pay into social security from ever receiving benefits. Does this sound fair?

At the end of the alarming letter there is a request for a donation. This organization is targeting millions of seniors on fixed incomes to support, not a solution to Social Security woes, but an anti-immigrant lobbying effort. And manipulating data on immigration to do it. It should come as no surprise that The Senior Citizens League is featured by prominent anti-immigrant groups such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform and NumbersUSA. It really stinks that security is repeatedly co-opted to strike fear into the hearts of Americans.

We can fix our system, even the social security system, but first we have to re-commit ourselves to a society that takes care of itself. Blaming immigrants, rather than administrations past, wealth disparity and Wall Street, is scapegoating. The only way this system is going to get fixed is if we embrace the idea that contributions and benefits need to be applied in a fair and equal method to everyone working in our country. Sane reform of health care and immigration systems will help too.

Finally, give seniors a raise in their social security benefits, because, frankly, even without a cost of living increase, they need more. And if they can’t get more benefits, they should at least get that measly $250 check Obama wants to send around.

It’s not enough to just work hard in this country anymore. Today, we have to work hard and believe that everyone else who works hard in this nation deserves the same things we do.