There is a U.S. Census every ten years

Every ten years the census thing happens here in the USofA. I actually remember the last four. I remember one of them was fairly simple. I just had to fill out a couple of sheets of info about names, age, relation, address and send it back. It took only a few minutes. I also remember one where there was much more detail and took much longer.

The 2010 census was prepared long before President Obama took office, but I'm sure that lots of people around here will blame him for any inconvenience it causes them, or for the many conspiracy theories that are aloft.

One ham I spoke with recently on the 470 was very upset about the upcoming census. He did not want to answer the questions. He stated that he had privacy concerns. Privacy is a thing of the past in my opinion. I am much more concerned with giving my private information to large corporations than I am to the government. I suspect the young ham was in his twenties and this is his very first census.

Here is a list of questions on the census:
Starts out with date, state, county, township, address

1. Number of people in dwelling
2. Number of people in family
3. Name of each person, enter surname first, then the given name and middle initial, if any. Include every person living in dwelling.
4. Relationship of this person to the head of the family.

Personal description:
5. Sex.
6. Race
7. Age at last birthday.
8. Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced.
9. Number of years of present marriage

Mother of how many children:.
10. Number born.
11. Number now living.

Nativity:
Place of birth of each person and parents of each person enumerated. If born in the United States, give the state or territory. If of foreign birth, give the Country.
12. Place of birth of this person.
13. Place of birth of father of this person.
14. Place of birth of mother of this person.

Citizenship:
15. Year of immigration to the United States.
16. Whether naturalized or alien.
17. Whether able to speak English; or, if not, give language spoken.

Occupation:
18. Trade or profession of, or particular kind of work done by this person
19. General nature of industry, business, or establishment in which this person works
20. Whether an employer, employee, or working on own account.
If an employee:
21. Whether out of work
22. Number of weeks out of work during year

Education:
23. Whether able to read.
24. Whether able to write.
25. Attended school any time last year

Ownership of home:
26. Owned or rented.
27. Owned free or mortgaged.
28. Farm or house.
29. If farm, Number of farm schedule.

30. Whether a survivor of war
31. Whether blind (both eyes).
32. Whether deaf

Well these are the questions. Do you think that the government has gotten out of hand asking these personal questions? Is this something new? NO! These questions are from the 1910 census. That's right, this is from one hundred years ago.

It could be worse. We all could have to travel to Washington D.C. to take part in the census. I remember a story in the book of Luke about a man that took his pregnant wife to register for the census. While he was there she gave birth to a Son (see Luke chapter two). This has been going on for a long, long time. At least it only happens every ten years.

John the enumerated KU4ME