# Census 2000 rant

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/census-2000-rant/4697>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [March 16, 2000, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/census-2000-rant/4697 "2000-03-16T06:30:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/census-2000-rant/4697/1 "2000-03-16T06:30:00Z")

</div>

Fill it out or don’t, but please, quit WHINING about it! Is it really that much to ask that once every ten years you answer a few simple questions truthfully and accurately and to the best of your ability? Is it really necessary to go out of your way to make things difficult for the people whose job it is to tabulate your census form by putting in fake races, ages, people, incomes or whatever? What thrill do you get out of it? Some people are complaining that there are too many questions. You get asked these questions once a decade, so averaged out you’re answering questions at the rate of one or two a year.

Don’t want representation in Congress? Don’t want federal money for your schools? Don’t want to do your Constitutional duty as an American? Fine. Don’t. More representation and more money for me. But if you don’t want to answer the census then at least have the good grace to **shut up** about it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![EnigmaOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EnigmaOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnigmaOne)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/census-2000-rant/4697/2 "2000-03-16T07:21:00Z")

</div>

WHEW!  
…and now a word from our sponsors.

* * *

– **Kalél**  
[TheHungerSite.com](http://www.thehungersite.com)

“Well, there was that thing with the Cheese-Wiz…but I’m feeling **much** better now!” – John Astin, Night Court  
“If ignorance is bliss, you must be orgasmic.”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dr.Watson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Dr.Watson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Watson)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/census-2000-rant/4697/3 "2000-03-16T07:59:00Z")

</div>

Hear, hear!

But . . .

Is there a catagory for _‘Skinning the horse, tanning the hide, and taking up residence in the carcass after beating it to death?’_

See: “You Whiney Infantile Brats!”, above. Well, now below, I suppose.  
Dr. Watson  
“I vote yes. What was the question again?”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/census-2000-rant/4697/4 "2000-03-16T08:10:00Z")

</div>

I didn’t read that thread before posting mine. The name of the thread wouldn’t have led me to believe it had anything to do with the Census. Still, it bears repeating.