Chicago Tribune
John and Beverly Scott have had a Census Bureau employee stop by their house at least 15 times in the past month, asking them to fill out a survey they find to be intrusive. They've even been threatened with a $2,000 fine. (Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune / April 1, 2011)
The first few requests were tolerable. A Census Bureau worker would knock on John and Beverly Scott's door and ask them to fill out an American Community Survey. The McKinley Park couple would politely decline.
But as the days passed, the visits became more frequent and the requests more urgent.
Some evenings, the doorbell would ring at dinnertime, then again at 10 p.m.
"I'm generally a nice guy. I didn't want to shut the door in her face," John Scott said. "I said, 'I'm not going to answer your questions.' She kept saying, 'You've got to, you've got to.' I shut the door, and she kept ringing the doorbell and tapping on the window."
It isn't that the Scotts are anti-government or are philosophically opposed to the census. The couple filled out their decennial form last year, answering every question.
But they're not too keen on the American Community Survey, a more in-depth, ongoing questionnaire the Census Bureau conducts to compile information on area demographics, consumer patterns and economic issues.
In particular, the Scotts did not want to answer questions they found too personal, such as inquiries about their income, when they left for work and their health...[Full Article]
