NPR (not piano related) Census 2000

[Brian Trout]

Hi List,

Have you all filled out your Census 2000 forms yet?

Jeezzzz !!!  My wife just filled out most of it a little while ago and I
feel like I've been to the proctologist!!

I realize that it is the government's responsibility to make sure that there
is an accurate count of it's citizens every 10 years, but I think maybe they
went a little overboard this time.

In all due respect,...

Who's business is it WHAT my home phone number is???

Why do they go out of their way to see if you're SPANISH / HISPANIC / LATINO
???  They didn't give that kind of attention to any other group.  I don't
have a problem with the 'Spanish / Hispanic / Latino' group.  But let's be
blunt here.  They're no more or less special than all the rest of us.

Who's business is it WHAT my ancestry's origin is?  I'm an AMERICAN, HERE &
NOW!!  Let's get on with the future instead of whining about the past.

Since when does the government need to know if I have difficulty remembering
or concentrating so long as I shut up and pay my taxes? <sarcasm implied>

Since when does the government need to know how well I dress and bathe
myself?  It may be important to my neighbors and my spouse, maybe my
employer, but the government??  GET REAL!!  (If I'm truly an invalid, they
already know it.)

Why does the Census Bureau need to know the minute details of my financial
affairs?  I've seen federal income tax forms that were shorter.

Who's business is it to know what I spend (accurate to the nearest dollar)
for electricity, or gas, or water, or sewer, or heating oil on an annual
basis???  If I should ever apply for public assistance, then they should be
asking, but until then, it's MY business, not theirs!


Who's business is it to know what I spend for my rent or mortgage payment???

And the one that really got to me...  WHO'S BUSINESS IS IT TO KNOW WHAT TIME
I GO TO WORK IN THE MORNING??????

AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

Needless to say, I'm a little peeved at being poked and prodded at with
their little "questionnaire".

Does anyone know, am I legally obligated to just roll over and give up every
detail of my existence to these people?  I know on the cover letter is
reminds us that "...Title 13 of the United States Code... REQUIRES that we
answer these questions...    Anybody know what Title 13 actually says?

I don't mind giving all kinds of information anonymously.  But I feel like
I'm being asked to surrender information which although they say "will not
be used by anyone unauthorized to see your form", could probably be seen by
most anyone who could convince the stupidest idiot that they thought they
had even a vague shape of a reason... <the blood is starting to boil...>

Look out for the next Census!!  They'll probably want to know what guns you
have in your house (including size, model & serial #), whether or not you
have kitchen knives that could be considered weapons & sizes and shapes of
each, what magazines and newspapers you subscribe to, what church you
attend, what "clubs or organizations" you belong to, what internet sites you
visit, how often you have sex (and with who), how much you weigh, and maybe
even your shoe size!!  God help us.  And people tell me that big brother is
a myth??  I feel like I've just heard the death knoll for personal privacy
in the United States of America.

Perhaps I've over-reacted.  Perhaps not.

Rant over...  you may now return to your calm and peaceful day... if you've
even bothered to read this far...

(Seriously, though, I wouldn't mind hearing what others might have to say
about this.)

Brian T.
btrout@desupernet.net