[ad_1]
Special to The Washington Post · Rosemary Armao · OPINION · Sep 16, 2020 – 3:59 PM
ALBANY, N.Y. – In July, I was sworn in as a federal Narfu hunter. NRFU (Non-Responsive Follow-Up) is how the U.S. Census Bureau describes those Americans – roughly 35% of the population – who have not returned their 2020 Census questionnaires. My job is to track them down.
I raised my right hand and took the oath as a census enumerator, swearing to uphold the Constitution, including Article 1, Section 2, which calls for counting “the whole Number” of people in the United States every 10 years. Then I completed 12 hours of online training, with actors posing as people I might encounter. One guy came to the door with a gun. Another asked, “Why should I care about the census?”
Actually, all of us should care. The count is the basis for divvying up political spoils, including federal funds for highways, schools and housing. It decides the number of representatives your state sends to Washington. People left out of the census get ignored.
Narfu hunting is strenuous and tricky. I imagined working an eight-hour day, at $20 an hour, but I can seldom do more than six. I am assigned about 50 houses a day, but rarely reach that many, as I search for missing buildings and tenants who moved out months ago. I bring along packages of peanut M&M’s, rewarding myself two at time after successful interviews and a whole handful when things don’t go so well.
I thought the job would be a snap for a lifelong reporter who has worked and traveled around the world. Approaching strangers and asking for their date of birth, race and national origins? Nothing to it. I hadn’t reckoned on all the animosity, ignorance and fear out there, or the awkwardness of talking to people through a mask.
Doorbells themselves are a problem. These days, friends use cellphones to call from the driveway and say they have arrived. A ring at the front door spells trouble. Many of the houses I visit have holes in the door frames where doorbells used to exist or tacked-up notes saying, “Bell not working.”
Even when a doorbell works and I can hear people inside, often no one answers. Enumerators are not allowed to peek in windows or enter private property, but the etiquette sometimes gets murky. If I see a unit off the main house and a side door with a doorbell, do I walk through a gate to get to the door?
In this case, I was two steps in when a Doberman came racing around the back of the house with teeth bared. Dog bites are the second leading cause of injury to census workers, after falls, but we can’t carry Mace or pepper spray. All I had was my nylon briefcase marked CENSUS in big block letters. I held it out and backed away slowly, crooning, “Noooo, noooo,” until I got to the gate and slammed it between me and Cujo. Then I headed back to my car for a load of M&M’s.
I have provoked my own share of fear. I showed my ID to a young man who said he had to get his mother and quickly shut the door. I heard rustling and whispering and finally a woman cautiously reopened the door. Seeing my ID, she yelled into the house, “You dummy! It’s the Census Bureau, not the FBI.”
Sometimes, people invite me inside, mask and all, for a drink of water or to use the toilet. They tell me where I can get a ribbon wreath for my front door or how to cut back zebra grass in the fall so it grows back fuller. Other people driving by and seeing my census briefcase honk or wave. “Thanks for doing what you are doing!” they yell, as I stand staring at a weed-filled lot where there used to be a building with people in it.
Census workers are instructed to avoid talking about politics and not to wear clothing with writing on it. We are equally bland in the face of NRA decals and pro-choice stickers, although I do enjoy funny messages on doormats, like the one that said, “Hide Packages from My Husband.” I no longer believe the ones that say, “Welcome,” but I know I am not the only census worker who does an internal fist pump whenever I secure an interview with an immigrant “yearning to breathe free,” as it says on the Statue of Liberty.
Census workers know that every NRFU successfully concluded reduces by a little bit the undercount this White House seems intent on forcing in 2020. The Supreme Court blocked the census from asking whether people are U.S. citizens, but now the bureau wants to stop the head count on Sept. 30, a month earlier than scheduled. The census got off to a late start because of coronavirus shutdowns, and when it concludes is a question before the courts. The administration says that stopping early is merely a matter of meeting deadlines, but to us Narfu hunters, it feels like sabotage.
It also feels like a warning. Come November, ballots instead of census forms could go uncounted. Let us all do what we can to make sure they get the numbers right then, too.
Rosemary Armao is a journalism professor at the University at Albany.
[ad_2]
Source link
470435 667235I discovered your blog web site on google and check a few of your early posts. Continue to keep up the really good operate. I just additional up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Seeking forward to reading far more from you later on! 934508
965366 960294Hi there, just became alert to your blog by means of Google, and located that it is truly informative. Im gonna watch out for brussels. Ill be grateful should you continue this in future. Plenty of men and women is going to be benefited from your writing. Cheers! 406173
838885 983605Excellent post man, maintain the good function, just shared this with my friendz 314732
461771 670095hi this post assist me full . .if you want watches males pay a visit to my websites is very assist you for men watches. .thank man good job. 300050
162006 729256Wow, cool post. Id like to write like this too – taking time and real effort to make a excellent article but I procrastinate too much and never appear to get started. Thanks though. 560180
110512 830647bathroom towels ought to be maintained with a excellent fabric conditioner so that they will last longer:: 764198
64840 610955Not long noticed concerning your internet web site and are nonetheless already reading along. I assumed ill leave my initial comment. i do not verify what saying except that Ive enjoyed reading. Nice blog. ill be bookmarking keep visiting this web website truly generally. 372876
180125 740637Some actually superb information , Sword lily I identified this. 194202
938932 799435Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your weblog and in accession capital to assert that I get really enjoyed account your blog posts. Any way I will be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently speedily. 797713
197823 967195I admire the valuable facts you offer inside your articles. I will bookmark your weblog and also have my children verify up here often. Im quite certain theyll learn a great deal of new things correct here than anybody else! 814842
681127 998213The Twitter application page will open. This is great if youve got several thousand followers, but as you get much more and far more the usefulness of this tool is downgraded. 138669
382121 7083Thank you for your quite good details and feedback from you. san jose used car 403958
486791 969612Thanks for helping out, outstanding information. 639585
586999 810447Thank you for every other informative internet site. Exactly where else could I get that type of information written in such a perfect means? Ive a mission that Im just now operating on, and Ive been at the look out for such information. 267827
461435 44194Intriguing website, i read it but i nonetheless have several questions. shoot me an email and we will speak far more becasue i may possibly have an fascinating thought for you. 139803
291607 563773Wow, wonderful weblog format! How long have you ever been blogging for? 856653
112419 59858Perfect just what I was searching for! . 714467
875292 153222Hi, Thanks for your page. I discovered your page via Bing and hope you keep providing much more excellent articles. 243628
997645 680354learning toys can enable your kids to develop their motor skills quite easily;; 977589
554959 521048Thank you for writing this tremendous top quality write-up. The info in this material confirms my point of view and you really laid it out properly. I could never have written an post this good. 327184
812412 543372I got what you mean , saved to my bookmarks , really nice web site . 203989
614320 466166Now im encountering a fresh short difficulties Once i cant appear like allowed to sign up for the particular give food to, Now im utilizing search engines like google audience. 666259
157543 718490What platform and theme are you employing if I may possibly ask? Where can I buy them? x 651211
1170 4214Oh my goodness! a wonderful post dude. Thanks Nevertheless My business is experiencing problem with ur rss . Dont know why Not able to sign up for it. Possibly there is any person obtaining identical rss difficulty? Anyone who knows kindly respond. Thnkx 677945
415738 428355very good put up, i in fact enjoy this internet site, keep on it 403481
894300 225589Spot lets start work on this write-up, I truly think this fabulous website needs an excellent deal far more consideration. Ill apt to be again to learn far a lot more, appreciate your that info. 864475
833955 534337You could definitely see your skills inside the work you write. The world hopes for a lot more passionate writers like you who arent afraid to say how they believe. At all times follow your heart 74302
263060 936366If you tow a definite caravan nor van movie trailer your entire family pretty soon get exposed towards the down sides towards preventing best securely region. awnings 601417