The Libertarian Party is trying to start a boycott of Census 2000 because of some of the questions on the long form. First, watch your newspapers for an Op-Ed by Steve Dashbach (sp?). We declined to publish it, but it's out there. Be aware that he mis-quotes the questions to make them sound intrusive. I pointed out to his press secretary, George Getz, that the question is not asked in nearly the format given in the editorial. Anyway, to familiarize yourself with the long form for Census 2000, go to http://www.census.gov/dmd/www/pdf/d-61b.pdf Study it, print it off to familiarize yourself with it, and if Steve's editorial shows up in your newspaper, you will be prepared. I do agree that the long form asks some seemingly strange questions. Before going off half-cocked, ask yourself why the government would want that information. The ones to which Dashbach objects have to do with determining the size of the population over age 16 who are significanlty impaired and will probably require assistance in the future. He claims the census asks the question "Do you have trouble bathing by yourself?" It does not. The data about bathing difficulties is included in a broader question: Does this person (check as many as apply), and the list following includes "Have difficulty bathing." Big difference. The Libertarian's boycott attempt, of course, is a "head off big government" move, their usual posture with which I genrally agree. But doing it by mis-quoting the census in order to attempt a boycott is unethical, to say the least. Feel free to distribute this message to any list for which it seems appropriate. -- Loretta Iroquois County ILGenWeb Project http://www.rootsweb.com/~iliroquo/ Ford County ILGenWeb Project http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilford/ Iroquois County Genealogical Society http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilicgs/