Our Loss

The Director of the U.S. Census effort apologized for using the word "Negro" on the 2010 census form. Apology accepted, but they could have put "Nigger" on the form for all I care!! Please don't misunderstand what I'm saying here. Words matter. Especially a word that has been used to stereotype and discriminate against blacks. But this is an argument for another day! Fill out the Census Form first. Complain later. It is not the Census Bureau Director's neighborhood that will lose valuable government funding by NOT filling out the form. It is OURS!! Regardless of what someone calls you, you know who you are. Not filling out the census form because of the word "Negro" is akin to someone handing you a briefcase filled with one million dollars, and you hand it back because you are offended when they tell you that the million dollars is your "welfare check"!! Not to diminish the use of the word on the form, but the real reason many of us have not filled out the form is because we are naturally suspicious of the government. And we have good reason to be a little suspicious! But fill out the form people! We can't complain about the blight in our communities if we refuse to do something as simple as filling out a form!!