San Diego Community

I was just closing the envelope of my census questionnaire when you asked the question about cooperating. Why wouldn't you? Those urging a boycott are complete idiots and are not only hurting those they claim to help, but hurt all of us. They are one of the reasons the Census Bureau has to spend millions to educate the public and, due to underreporting, we will lose millions. I teach American Government and it would be nice if those idiots would take a class on our government and how it works. -- Michael

Many countries around the world implement the census. It is important to known how many people live in the USA it's History, Geography. Stop making excuses and be a responsible USA resident and do the census. -- Rose

Did I just hear this correct, were letting outsiders hold our goverment hostage. -- Joseph

It is suppose to be a count of CITIZENS not just people. Illigals should not be counted. This is also how the number of Congressmen is determined.When are these people going to realize they are not citizens of the United States. -- James Jolly

This is America and the Census is part of America. Anyone who doesn't wanna be part of the Census shouldn't be a part of America and should get the hell out. Love it (every part of it)or leave it. -- John

Just as voting for governmental officials, the once a decade U.S. Census is a way for citizens to make themselves heard. I find it an extremely important tool to providing government funding, and tracking the growth rate of counties and states. I hope people do not follow the boycotts and they complete the Census form, regardless of being an illegal immigrant or not! -- Bryan

I am not aware of any organized group of Latinos or Latinas in San Diego county who are calling for a boycott of the imminent 2010 Census undertaking. Quite to the contrary, the Latino community in San Diego is aware of the enormous impact a fully participatory census count will have on all of us citizens and undocumented persons in the country. I personally disagree with the shallow and backward thinking of those who are calling for a boycott, in particular, the political grandstanding and advocacy of the boycott by self appointed "leaders" of the Washington D.C. based The National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders led by Rev. Miguel Rivera. He calls any discussion of inclusion in the census by Latinos as "reprehensible and even considered, UNAMERICAN" unless Congress passes "legislation for a fair and humane immigration reform" and that anything short of that is nothing more than "brain-washing" of the value of the census for Latinos. He even has the audacity to use his religious background to use the Bible who he claims "warns" against letting schools use census information as a way to "turn children against their parents." In my opinion, this is pure hogwash. These are fear mongering tactics reminiscent of the KKK, Nazi Germany and other repressive regimes experienced throughout the world. To propose such a census boycott is ludicrous and would be a major setback to the progress made by Latinos and Latinas in the nation. We have a long history of serving our country and many have died or suffered fighting for our full inclusion in American society and now to have a bunch of religious zealots openly call on undocumented people not to allow themselves to be counted in the census is, without question, un-American and un-christian. Their action is right in line with those who have harbored and/or acted out on their anti-immigrant stances to the detriment of the community. I pray that one day we will overcome the self hate mentality of the likes of Rev. Miguel Rivera and his ilk. Simply to follow his advice is akin to taking a dark path leading undocumented people down into a deeper social crevasse. -- Gus

We already sent our census form in. The govt knows all this about us as taxpayers. The boycotters are the ones who will cause us taxpayers to pay for the excess cost of tracking them down for census. -- M.