Last Week Tonight: The Census

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In light of America's upcoming 2020 census, Last Week Tonight looks at what it is, why it matters, and how crucial it is that every person is counted.

Source

I just spent last weekend talking to people about the importance of participating in the census and dissuading fears of the citizenship question at a two-day conference this past weekend

Comments

[colonel_green]

It's fascinating how the politics of these things are so different in different places, because the Canadian census has asked about citizenship for decades without it being an issue.

[talks_alot02]

There's a lot of Americans who have a huge distrust/hatred for government. They think the government is going to come get them or some shit.

[numbedtoe]

well to be fair, look at this administration. what's funny is that it kind of shows that americans had a right to be distrustful of their government. they were right that we the people would be sold out for we want the dollars. they were right that the criminal justice system was stack against the average person. they were right about the real abuses of government overreach.

the problem was, this came from the people who constantly voted in people who'd do just that, in. because those they voted in managed to convince them that it wouldn't happen to ~real americans~ aka white folks, and that all these under educated white folks were just momentarily depressed millionaires. it's coming from a group of people who say we shouldn't automatically bend to authority and then do just that via blind support for cops and military.

it's kind of a fascinating dichotomy.

[talks_alot02]

Fair points. I'm also white so it helps that I don't feel like I've ever had to worry about distrusting the government - well, until Trump. I hated many things that have gone on, but I never worried about the government coming for me. With that said, I understand why others would. Well, except the people you mentioned (white, undereducated, "real Americans"). The ones who scream about democrats taking guns, etc...

You're right, though. I am one of those folks who believes that our government isn't perfect (moving further away from it at the moment), but that history says we have tried to become a "more perfect." Which may or may not be moving as quickly as I, or others, would like.

[kinokol]

It's almost like there's a whole part of the government that has been empowered to arrest and deport people without criminal histories if they're undocumented or their visas expire that mostly acts in a racist capacity and accepts anonymous tips.