2010 Census emphasizes race, discounts religion, education, employment, professions and skips pets!
2010 Census emphasizes race, discounts religion, education, employment, professions and skips pets!
My 2010 Census form arrived in the mail today and is due April 1, 2010. I wish to encourage everyone to complete and return their forms on time as the data collected is used to determine the number of representatives each state has in the U.S. Congress as well as how much money each city, town and area may receive. So if you want our little town to get its piece of the pie, please get your 2010 Census form in on town.
I was a bit disappointed in the fact that the 2010 Census form did not ask very many questions. Basically the census only wanted to know of person number 1, the home owner/renter, how many people live in each home, apartment or mobile home, their name, telephone number, age, date of birth, sex, race, and if someone lives somewhere else part of the time. For each additional person their relationship to the home owner was asked. If more than 7 people live in one house it only wanted to know their names, sex, age, date of birth and if the person was related to person number 1.
The census did not ask about employment or the amount of money each person earned. I would have thought that in these tough economic times that would be an important question to ask. I guess because everyone who is employed is suppose to pay taxes, this information is available through the IRS.
Nor did the census ask about how many dogs or cats may live at a residence. Now I know the census by law counts people, but some people, like me, consider our pets family members. Nation-wide billions of dollars are spent by people on their pets so the number of pets living in people's homes is an important consideration. This needs to be counted that cities and town may also be properly funded when it comes to providing resourced for much needed animals shelters. But alas, the 2010 Census makes no count of people's dogs, cats or other pets.
It does want to qualify if you are of Hispanic origin, exactly what that means: if you are Mexican, Mexican Am., Chicano, Puerto Rican, Cuban or of another Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin. If you are not white, black, African Am., Negro, American Indian, or Alaska Native it wants to qualify if you are Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Samoan, Vietnamese, Native Hawaiian, Guamanian or Chamorro, other Asian, as Hmong, Laolian, Thai, Pakistani, Cambodian, etc., or other Pacific Islander as Fijian, Tongan, etc.
The 2010 Census then is putting a lot of emphasis upon racial origins. In fact, that is about the only in depth analysis that the census is making. It does not ask a single question about religion. I would think it is important to know how many Christian, Jews, Protestants, Catholics, Muslims or people of other religious beliefs live in each area. Is this not asked because of separation of church and state? Yet is not it vital to know this fact, especially when we are engaged in a war in Iraq and Afghanistan?
Since the data collected by the 2010 Census is private and confidential, I think more questions should have been asked. I also think that in this day and age where jobs and education is so important that the census should have tallied each person's educational level, profession, and income. These are vital factors to know and map as demographics about education, employment and profession is vital to our economy. Knowing such factors would empower our nation to make a more swift economic recovery. Yet without this information we are left blind and have no census of the level of poverty or wealth from one town to another. Thus it will be more difficult to make intelligent choices and sensible judgments with respect to economic recovery issues.
In conclusion I was quite disappointed with the 2010 Census form. I wish those six pages had asked more questions about me and my pets so that the data might be used to help with economic recovery. I really don't care what race one is and think too much emphasis is being put on race. We are all AMERICANS, and perhaps would be better off if we stop looking at the color of one's skin or their national origins and focus more on issues like education, employment, level of income, and if people have health insurance. Yet the 2010 Census puts its focus on race, which is a decisive factor, rather than upon gathering information which could really be use to help all AMERICANS live better, more high quality lives!
My 2010 Census form arrived in the mail today and is due April 1, 2010. I wish to encourage everyone to complete and return their forms on time as the data collected is used to determine the number of representatives each state has in the U.S. Congress as well as how much money each city, town and area may receive. So if you want our little town to get its piece of the pie, please get your 2010 Census form in on town.
I was a bit disappointed in the fact that the 2010 Census form did not ask very many questions. Basically the census only wanted to know of person number 1, the home owner/renter, how many people live in each home, apartment or mobile home, their name, telephone number, age, date of birth, sex, race, and if someone lives somewhere else part of the time. For each additional person their relationship to the home owner was asked. If more than 7 people live in one house it only wanted to know their names, sex, age, date of birth and if the person was related to person number 1.
The census did not ask about employment or the amount of money each person earned. I would have thought that in these tough economic times that would be an important question to ask. I guess because everyone who is employed is suppose to pay taxes, this information is available through the IRS.
Nor did the census ask about how many dogs or cats may live at a residence. Now I know the census by law counts people, but some people, like me, consider our pets family members. Nation-wide billions of dollars are spent by people on their pets so the number of pets living in people's homes is an important consideration. This needs to be counted that cities and town may also be properly funded when it comes to providing resourced for much needed animals shelters. But alas, the 2010 Census makes no count of people's dogs, cats or other pets.
It does want to qualify if you are of Hispanic origin, exactly what that means: if you are Mexican, Mexican Am., Chicano, Puerto Rican, Cuban or of another Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin. If you are not white, black, African Am., Negro, American Indian, or Alaska Native it wants to qualify if you are Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Samoan, Vietnamese, Native Hawaiian, Guamanian or Chamorro, other Asian, as Hmong, Laolian, Thai, Pakistani, Cambodian, etc., or other Pacific Islander as Fijian, Tongan, etc.
The 2010 Census then is putting a lot of emphasis upon racial origins. In fact, that is about the only in depth analysis that the census is making. It does not ask a single question about religion. I would think it is important to know how many Christian, Jews, Protestants, Catholics, Muslims or people of other religious beliefs live in each area. Is this not asked because of separation of church and state? Yet is not it vital to know this fact, especially when we are engaged in a war in Iraq and Afghanistan?
Since the data collected by the 2010 Census is private and confidential, I think more questions should have been asked. I also think that in this day and age where jobs and education is so important that the census should have tallied each person's educational level, profession, and income. These are vital factors to know and map as demographics about education, employment and profession is vital to our economy. Knowing such factors would empower our nation to make a more swift economic recovery. Yet without this information we are left blind and have no census of the level of poverty or wealth from one town to another. Thus it will be more difficult to make intelligent choices and sensible judgments with respect to economic recovery issues.
In conclusion I was quite disappointed with the 2010 Census form. I wish those six pages had asked more questions about me and my pets so that the data might be used to help with economic recovery. I really don't care what race one is and think too much emphasis is being put on race. We are all AMERICANS, and perhaps would be better off if we stop looking at the color of one's skin or their national origins and focus more on issues like education, employment, level of income, and if people have health insurance. Yet the 2010 Census puts its focus on race, which is a decisive factor, rather than upon gathering information which could really be use to help all AMERICANS live better, more high quality lives!
posted by TAL | 9:03 AM
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