The Census: It Is What It Is

It is what it is - but it shouldn’t be!
 

Next week, my crew and I will be on the road for three weeks straight, going from city to city raising awareness for the all-important 2010 Census. The message is clear and simple - so clear and simple, I’m surprised we have to hit it so hard, but that’s what the TJMS and BlackAmericaWeb are here for.

We need to be counted. If we aren’t properly represented, it will have an impact on how much money is allocated to our schools, parks, recreational centers, senior facilities and all kinds of services that benefit our community.

Now, that being said, let me switch reels for a moment to another road trip of sorts I was on a little over a week ago in Haiti.

 
My crew and I witnessed firsthand a country rocked to its core by a massive earthquake.  Millions of survivors there are lacking the very basics, such as clean drinking water and housing. Their schools have been closed, their roads destroyed, and everything from mail to medical services barely are operating.

A lot of it was due to the earthquake, but even before this tragedy struck, Haiti was in dismal shape.
 

Can you imagine what the Haitian people would think if they knew that in this country, I am traveling for three weeks to practically beg people to fill out a form that would help them improve their living conditions? In reality, African-Americans should be lining up to fill out Census forms like Haitans were lined up to receive food and water after the earthquake. 
 

Like voter registration drives, the Census awareness drive is something that people in countries who must fight and sometimes die for basic rights will probably never comprehend. 
Even in our worst conditions, most of us are better off than our brothers and sisters in Third World countries.

We have a system that - while not perfect by any stretch - provides and almost guarantees that certain basic needs are met. We have clean water; we have paved roads; we have roofs over our heads. Of course, there are exceptions, but generally speaking, we at least expect to always have access to things. Many of us don’t even realize it’s even possible to live without electricity, heat, gas and shelter. A week-long power outage is a major disaster in this country, and, for some, even a week without air conditioning is unthinkable. 

My point is this: While it is, on some levels, ridiculous to have to find ways to encourage our people to vote and participate in the Census,  to quote a much over-used expression, it is what it is. 

In the last Census a decade ago, reportedly a million African-Americans/Blacks/Negroes were not counted, for a variety of reasons. I have to go along with J. on this one: Since they know that, why not just spot us a million in this Census, and we’ll be in good shape? Of course, it doesn’t work like that. There ought to be an easier, more accurate way to find and count everyone, but this is the way we’re doing it.  When we run a country, we can come up with our own system.  

I know - "It's mighty funny that they can find us when we owe money!" - right? Right, I hear you. I’ll even entertain the fact for a moment that they don’t really WANT to count all of us because there’s power in numbers. You know I’ll work with a conspiracy theory any day of the week. But I still filled .....