I Am Officially an Activist

ac⋅tiv⋅ist 
 /ˈæktəvɪst/[ak-tuh-vist] –noun
advocating or opposing a cause or issue vigorously, esp. a political cause.

The process starts by receiving a sweet, harmless little postcard that says "In a few days you will receive an American Community Survey questionnaire. Local and national leaders will use the information from this survey for planning schools, hospitals, roads, and other community needs. We would like your help in completing this survey. Kisses and hugs" (not really on that last part). We got the envelope, and it sat on my desk unopened for a couple of weeks. I mean, I'm willing to help, but I'm really busy with my job, and being a wife and mother, and cooking and cleaning, etc. (okay, not really on the cooking and cleaning part either). Then, I get another envelope which I notice on the outside says "Your Response is Required by Law." That got my attention...so I opened it up.

There it was...28 pages of nosy rosy questions such as the exact amount of income we earned last year and what time Steve has to leave for work in the morning. Also the names, birthdates and 4 pages of questions to complete on each person living in the house. Are they serious? I started completing it, and then the hair on the back of my neck started standing up. I read the letter that came with the "book" and it says "This survey is so important that a Census Bureau representative may attempt to contact you by telephone or personal visit if we do not receive your questionnaire." Okay, now, I'm ticked.

First of all, the letter says we were chosen as part of a randomly selected sample. How can we be required by law to complete a questionnaire that is not required of every one of our neighbors?

Also, if they have been using the question of what time people have to leave for work in the morning to develop better programs to reduce traffic congestion, those people need to be fired for being morons because traffic has been horrendous in the metroplex since right after Noah built the ark. And I have a bright idea, why don't you ask the schools, hospitals, and fire stations if they are overcrowded or receive too many calls and use that as a basis for where new ones are needed? The information is supposedly also used to plan for the healthcare needs of the elderly. Seriously people, go visit your local nursing homes. It seems like the time spent on making harassing phone calls and visits would better be served by, oh I don't know, actually going to the source.

So I do what I always do when I need to make an important decision, I googled it. And there I found all sorts of people who felt uneasy about this questionnaire, and the repercussions of not completing it. Evidently, I am about to endure 90 days of annoying phone calls, and possibly visits before they will back off. Evidently they can fine me anywhere from $100-$5000 for not completing it, although one of the forums I read said they could find no record of anyone ever being fined. They will send 2 envelopes (already received), then they will call our home for 30 days (okay, we very rarely answer our home phone anyway), and then they will attempt to visit our home for 30 days before they give up. I know I will be answering my door with my 80 pound black labrador right by my side clawing at the glass door to get out. That might deter a second attempt.

I always discuss my plans to rebel with Steve before I actually do it, and he was all "bring it on." I love it when he encourages my rebellion! So, I am officially not complying with the U.S. Census Bureau...and I'm downright giddy waiting for those phone calls and visits.

And, if they succeed in making an example out of me, I hope they have the orange jumpsuits. Black and white stripes do not look good on me.