The "Everyone Stand Up And Be Counted" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Waiting for my Census form to arrive in the mail.  In the United States of America, the U.S. Constitution mandates that the country conduct a count of its population every 10 years.  The results determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives and are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.  The other part of our Congress, The Senate, has each state receiving two Senators no matter the size of the state.  The Census asks nine questions such as information as to how many people are living or staying at a particular residence and whether the home is owned of rented.  The Census also asked the age, sex and race of each person in the home.  All answers can be given in either English or Spanish.  The mailing of the Census forms will take place soon and I should have it no later than April 1, which is known as Census Day.  If I care to respond this year by phone or online, I may do that instead of mailing the form.  

Some residents of the United States may receive a visit from a Census taker.  If they are a college student living on campus or if they may be a senior living in a retirement community, they may be visited by a census taker.  If they do not speak English, another visitor will return who speaks Spanish.  Now, suppose you receive a Census form in the mail and shortly after someone comes knocking on your door.  What should you do?  The person at the door must provide you with identification of whom they are and what they are doing.  But, suppose you haven't read about the Census in the newspaper or heard about the Census on TV or online, then what do you do?  Should you trust the person at the door?  If I get my form in the mail, I will certainly not give any information to someone at my front door.  In my home town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, committees have been established to make sure everyone is counted.  In Lancaster we have a few sub-groups such as the Amish and other Plain sects, immigrants, refugees and low income residents whom may not have a home address.  The committees will handle those people.  I also read that there are full and part-time jobs available for people to help take the Census.  They pay between $16.50 to $20 an hour.  Wow, not bad!  The very first Census was taken in 1790.  This year's Census will be used to support community initiatives involving legislation, the quality of life and consumer advocacy.    Decisions on building factories, offices and stores will also be based on the Census.  I can promise you that Lancaster doesn't need anymore stores than it already has, being that there are many empty ones already.  Public safety and emergency services could be affected by the Census as well as home construction and revitalization of old neighborhoods.  And what happens if you are not counted?  I have no idea!  Someone certainly will slip through the Census, but perhaps they prefer it that way.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.