2010 Census

MeaghanandMichael · March 2010

Are you filling it out?
Do you care about it?
Do you think it is a helpful thing?

Bascially I am a nerd and I love stats so I am the first one lining up to mail this shiit in. However, Mike was all "I don't think it is the government's business blahblahblah" which I thought that pretty ridiculous. He later admitted his super paranoid work buddy talked him into it. But, it did get me thinking... wodering what you ladies thought?

mandysmear · March 2010

I plan on doing the canadian one. Anything to make things more accurate.

Goldlie11 · March 2010

I did it already.

MeaghanandMichael · March 2010

Actually, the one interesting point his work friend brought up was that if we keep harping on racial differences (you know, what race are you?), we are perpetuating a cycle of divisiveness. I mean, I don't buy it because a census, to me, is hardly trying to do this. It was an interesting thought though.

angiebear11 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:ded2c19a-fc22-4fbd-bb75-de94aea98f94">2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]Mike was all "I don't think it is the government's business blahblahblah" Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]

My FI said the same thing. Then he threw the census out,

RachNRich · March 2010

I did it already too---but our form only asked the number of people that lived in our house, and our names.

tracy_k · March 2010

I think all the objections to the census are complete and utter BS. It's mandated by the freaking Constitution, FFS.

The info is used to determine all kinds of critical things, like how federal funds are distributed between states & counties, etc. Census numbers are also used to determine Congressional representation for states, so yeah, it's kind of important.

It's also all of ten questions. Not a big deal.

Then again, maybe I should be glad there are people out there protesting the Census, because if they aren't counted they will lose representation in Congress and therefore have little say in how they are governed.

opalsky007 · March 2010

I did it as soon as it arrived. I also got a reminder postcard about it after sending it in. Wonder how much postage they blew on sending out reminders before the forms could have possibly been filled out and returned?

I don't get the "it's not the government's business" thing. They're literally just counting heads to make sure federal funding goes where it needs to--basically, it makes sure your tax dollars come back to you. Why wouldn't you want to be counted?

T1+T2 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:ded2c19a-fc22-4fbd-bb75-de94aea98f94">2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]Are you filling it out? Do you care about it? Do you think it is a helpful thing? Bascially I am a nerd and I love stats so I am the first one lining up to mail this shiit in. However, <strong>Mike was all "I don't think it is the governments business blahblahblah" which I thought that pretty ridiculous</strong>. He later admitted his <strong>super paranoid</strong>work buddy talked him into it. But, it did get me thinking... wodering what you ladies thought?
Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]

Yup, that's the same argument I got from <em>my</em>super paranoid BF. So I told him that if the government really wanted to find him, they could - since the government issued his license, passport, recorded his warranty deed, recorded his mortgage, and pretty much had some sort of hand in basically every personally identifiable thing out there.

He gave me a blank stare after that. So I just filled it out myself and sent it. Oh sorry - your question. I really do hope it helps for something, that's why I did it. Although I think there were a few questions missing, actually.

mnp555 · March 2010

People will come to your house to harass you if you don't send it in. That is reason enough to get it in the mail and out of my life for me.

Nebb · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:d2c51f5a-5318-43dd-b9a9-fe5576b67be8">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]I plan on doing the canadian one. Anything to make things more accurate.
Posted by mandysmear[/QUOTE]
Is this something we get or something we have to go out and find, ive not heard of this.

MeaghanandMichael · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:a7c20615-a25e-4db8-869b-ebb14e66db69">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to 2010 Census : Yup, that's the same argument I got from my super paranoid BF. So I told him that if the government really wanted to find him, they could - since the government issued his license, passport, recorded his warranty deed, recorded his mortgage, and pretty much had some sort of hand in basically every personally identifiable thing out there. <strong> He gave me a blank stare after that. </strong> So I just filled it out myself and sent it. Oh sorry - your question. I really do hope it helps for something, that's why I did it. Although I think there were a few questions missing, actually.
Posted by T1+T2[/QUOTE]

hahah T1, do we live with the same man? I definitely brought up that point right away and it had the same effect.

MeaghanandMichael · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:7451a806-6ff3-41bd-a50b-36e4f41d1220">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]People will come to your house to harass you if you don't send it in. That is reason enough to get it in the mail and out of my life for me.
Posted by mnp555[/QUOTE]

What??? Seriously?? Now this I object to. If you don't want to fill it out for whatever weird reason than fine, but that should be your right. There is no reason for the government to be harassing any one.

Schroeder246 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:78501c8b-089c-498b-b4d8-eae0ee6c30d8">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]Actually, the one interesting point his work friend brought up was that if we keep harping on racial differences (you know, what race are you?), we are perpetuating a cycle of divisiveness. I mean, I don't buy it because a census, to me, is hardly trying to do this. It was an interesting thought though.
Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>While I see where his friend is coming from, not filling out the census doesn't really solve that problem. We have to know, as a country, who we are. A huge part of that is where we and our families come from. To think that if we were not statistically aware of each other's races, that somehow racism would stop is pretty far-fetched. </div><div>
</div><div>In order to stop perpetuating a cycle of divisiveness, we need to know <em>more</em> and talk <em>more openly</em> about who we are, not less!

</div>

kate51485 · March 2010

Yes, yes, and yes.

RachNRich · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:72388ed1-c050-4f52-bc9b-2562ee23043b">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : What??? Seriously?? Now this I object to.<strong> If you don't want to fill it out for whatever weird reason than fine, but that should be your right.</strong> There is no reason for the government to be harassing any one.
Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]

<div>But, it's required by law to fill it out and send it in---so, it isn't really anyones <em>right</em> to not do it. </div>

katiewhompus · March 2010

I did it. I think it can't hurt and probably is a good thing to get accurate counts of people in different areas. The race section does bug the crap out of me, and always has. My grandfather is half Native American but has no tribal affiliation because he went through such crap as a kid. As a result dad and I can't put that down and the govt thinks that Native American's don't exist in Virginia.

I could see if it was asking more personal questions, but really, how objectionable is "name, age, race"?

Schroeder246 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:72388ed1-c050-4f52-bc9b-2562ee23043b">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : What??? Seriously?? Now this I object to. <strong>If you don't want to fill it out for whatever weird reason than fine</strong>, but that should be your right. There is no reason for the government to be harassing any one.
Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]

<div>Actually, it's not fine, it's illegal.</div>

beatlesgirl25 · March 2010

Meg, I thought the same thing as Mike when I got it. I wanted to fill it out, but then asked H if we were filling it out "for real." We agreed to do it, but it did feel weird putting that stuff down for the government to have.

Rach, it's kind of funny how the envelope is all threatening like, "YOU ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO FILL THIS OUT." Yet, I wonder how they would know if we didn't? They don't even have our names, it just got sent to this address.

opalsky007 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:56f2bef9-5e57-429f-a177-cb9333d30fdc">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : But, it's required by law to fill it out and send it in---so, it isn't really anyones right to not do it.
Posted by RachNRich[/QUOTE]

Yup. I was pretty sure, but wanted to double check. C&P from the Census FAQ
<div class="qtip-contentWrapper" style="border-style:solid;border-color:#a9cde3;border-width:0px 2px;background:#ffffff none repeat scroll 0% 0%;-moz-background-clip:border;-moz-background-origin:padding;-moz-background-inline-policy:continuous;"> <div class="qtip-content qtip-content" style="padding:15px;background:#ffffff none repeat scroll 0% 0%;-moz-background-clip:border;-moz-background-origin:padding;-moz-background-inline-policy:continuous;color:#000000;text-align:left;height:300px;"><p class="aligncenter"><strong>Title 13</strong></p><p>Sec. 221. Refusal or neglect to answer questions; false answers</p><p>(a) Whoever, being over eighteen years of age refuses or willfully neglects, when requested by the Secretary, or by any other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof acting under the instructions of the Secretary or authorized officer, to answer, to the best of his knowledge, any of the questions on any schedule submitted to him in connection with any census or survey provided for by subchapters I, II, IV, and V of chapter 5 of this title, applying to himself or to the family to which he belongs or is related, or to the farm or farms of which he or his family is the occupant, shall be fined not more than $100.</p><p>(b) Whoever, when answering questions described in subsection (a) of this section, and under the conditions or circumstances described in such subsection, willfully gives any answer that is false, shall be fined not more than $500. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, no person shall be compelled to disclose information relative to his religious beliefs or to membership in a religious body.</p></div></div>

T1+T2 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:3fe84cd4-439c-4454-b1e5-2aec814f2a0e">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : hahah T1, do we live with the same man? I definitely brought up that point right away and it had the same effect.
Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]

HA! Perhaps. I mean, seriously, how is the government not going to know all that information they ask about anyway? I bet it's just easier and cheaper to ask in one sheet of paper (the census) than to cull the information from various places - but yeah honey, they already know allllll about you.

MeaghanandMichael · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:ad382699-5d50-4003-93c5-8892178e65d4">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : While I see where his friend is coming from, not filling out the census doesn't really solve that problem. We have to know, as a country, who we are. A huge part of that is where we and our families come from. To think that if we were not statistically aware of each other's races, that somehow racism would stop is pretty far-fetched. <strong> In order to stop perpetuating a cycle of divisiveness, we need to know more and talk more openly about who we are, not less!</strong>
Posted by Schroeder246[/QUOTE]

I mean, yes and no. While in most cases I thoroughly support this sentiment we see things that contradict this every day. Ex: this is black prom, this is a white prom. This is black mardi gras ball, this is a white one.This is white church, this is a black church. The whole situation is mind boggling to me and I definitely don't know the answer. I just feel thatracial divides are flourishing.

MeaghanandMichael · March 2010

Wow really? Thanks for the education ladies, I was am thankful for letting me know! I disagree though, that worries me that this is mandatory. My libertartian side rears it's head here!

tlv204 · March 2010

Yeah it's definitely mandated by law. Honestly I think the government has every right to know at least HOW MANY people live in the country, if nothing else. I really don't think that's asking too much, and don't understand why people wouldn't do it. It took 2 seconds. I don't even agree with the race thing. I don't think it's "harping on differences," I think it's just wanting to know who lives in the country. I was actually really excited to fill it out since it was our first one on our own.

Schroeder246 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:f0bfe62d-cec4-4c7f-b2f5-8e6f1d6597c8">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : I mean, yes and no. While in most cases I thoroughly support this sentiment we see things that contradict this every day. Ex: this is black prom, this is a white prom. This is black mardi gras ball, this is a white one.This is white church, this is a black church. The whole situation is mind boggling to me and I definitely don't know the answer. I just feel thatracial divides are flourishing.
Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>I completely agree with you, however, I in no way understand how filling out the census contributes to this problem.

</div>

MyNameIsNot · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:a587f223-7381-4900-b56f-96734e559a53">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]<strong>I think all the objections to the census are complete and utter BS. It's mandated by the freaking Constitution, FFS</strong>.
Posted by tracy_k[/QUOTE]

<div>This. I want to smack the idiots on TV making a big deal about it. They are encouraging people to ignore the law, which just means the federal government wasting tax dollars to get it done anyway.</div><div>
</div><div>I filled ours out and sent it in the day it came, maybe 2 weeks ago. DH asked me about it last week. He was a little sad that I did it without him, b/c he didn't get to see it. He makes a hobby of making fun of the nuts that freak out over the census. </div><div>Filling out his race section was funny, though. He's hispanic, and came from a mix of black, white, native american, asian, and probably some other stuff. </div>

tracy_k · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:7451a806-6ff3-41bd-a50b-36e4f41d1220">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]People will come to your house to harass you if you don't send it in. That is reason enough to get it in the mail and out of my life for me.
Posted by mnp555[/QUOTE]

Oh come on. Nobody "harasses" anyone.

They do employ "census takers" to go door to door to record census information from people who do not return the census (though I don't think they send those folks to all households, it may just be in historically undercounted areas).

But it's not like they beat down your door in the middle of the night or show up at your work all "I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS."

MeaghanandMichael · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:d8b4f8c8-298b-49b6-a44c-4db4d387d937">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : I completely agree with you, however, I in no way understand how filling out the census contributes to this problem.
Posted by Schroeder246[/QUOTE]

oh absolutely.

On another note, can any one tell me what the penalties are for not filling it out? I tried goggling and it is one big mess. Also, wondering how the government handles if illegals fill this out and then the INS backtracks the record? This is messy.

tlv204 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:d8b4f8c8-298b-49b6-a44c-4db4d387d937">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : I completely agree with you, however, I in no way understand how filling out the census contributes to this problem.
Posted by Schroeder246[/QUOTE]

Ditto.

You guys really think that the government shouldn't know how many people live in which areas? I mean that's how our version of democracy works. No one fills it out, no one gets representation in the government. I mean I understand why so many people are wary of the government having a lot of information, but really? Just how many people live where?

Edit: "You guys" wasn't great terminology, I'm just asking anyone who thinks this is giving the government too much power.

Also, with the race thing, don't you think that knowing which areas are predominantly which race might help reduce academic and other gaps between races? I really don't think it's perpetuating differences, I think it's good to know who lives where.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown · March 2010

I love filling it out. I filled it out in 2000, too, when it came to our house. We already mailed it back. I marked my race as "other" and put "anglo-germanic-american" because I was an asshole.

Haven't you all seen the billboards and commercials saying things like, "If we don't know how many children there are, how will we know how many classrooms we need?" I mean, the government has a rough idea, but every 10 years the census still gives them an even better picture. It's also an issue with undocumented immigrants - they're very wary of filling out government documents, and they're being advertised to, saying, "Don't worry, there's no personal information, there's no questions about citizenship." I mean, the census definitely affects them and what their kids are eligible for.

beatlesgirl25 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:7451a806-6ff3-41bd-a50b-36e4f41d1220">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]People will come to your house to harass you if you don't send it in. That is reason enough to get it in the mail and out of my life for me.
Posted by mnp555[/QUOTE]

Interesting. I did not know this. Well, glad mine's out then!

2010 Census

Re: 2010 Census

Choose Another Board

Search Boards