You are required to give a number, that's it. As in "There are 2 people living at this residence".

Kenneth Prewitt, Director Bureau of Census Washington DC 20233-2000

Dear Mr.Prewitt:

Thank you for your interest in the age of and racial composition of my household. While I understand your assertion that this information is needed to facilitate the redistribution of wealth from those who earned it to those who did not, I respectfully decline to participate in this portion of the US Census 2000 program.
However, as per the requirements of Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution, I have submitted the number of persons in my household to help enable proper apportionment of our US Congressional representation. I feel that the other information you requested grossly exceeds the intent of enumeration described in the above stated clause.
     My age, sex, and racial origin have nothing to do with how many Congressmen our state will receive to represent us or how any direct taxes shall be levied against our state.
Furthermore, whether or not I am male, female, black, white, green or blue ought not have anything to do with how much of the money Georgians earned will be returned to our community for education, roads, hospitals, child care etc.      
     Any government assistance programs that rely on race as a factor of who should receive benefits would seem to be in direct violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Respectfully,

your name here

It's all about redistricting so as to favor one political party. Why do you think the Executive branch has taken control of it this time around? First time in history.

cynic :)

That's some hard-earned cynicism, bud. ;)

Yup. This is how we get all our nearly elected officials to set up all those barbell-shaped districts.   :o

Charlie

Gerrymandering.  A form of redistribution in which electoral district or constituency boundaries are deliberately modified for electoral advantage. Gerrymandering may be used to help or hinder particular constituents, such as members of a political, racial, linguistic, religious or class group.

The term gerrymandering is derived from Elbridge Gerry (1744–1814), the governor of Massachusetts from 1810 to 1812. The term first appeared in the Boston Gazette on March 26, 1812 . In 1812, Governor Gerry signed a bill into law that redistricted his state to benefit his political party.  The shape was that of a salamander.  Hence the origin of the word and its meaning... Gerry-Mandering.

Batch:

I had a document signed by Elbridge Gerry. Among many mostly New England 1780s documents that were related to all the deficits incurred during the Revolutionary War. These things appeared in big collections about 30 years ago. Gerry, New York, which is near me is also named for him.

Charlie