Posted on 07/07/2010 7:34:34 PM PDT by marktwain
HONOLULU – In these divisive times, Census worker Russell Haas has come to expect some resistance when he goes door to door to count the residents of the rugged communities near Hawaii's Kilauea volcano. He didn't expect to get arrested.
An attempt to get one resident, a county police officer, to fill out Census forms landed Haas in the back of a patrol car with a trespassing charge.
The case is now in federal court, the latest example of disputes this year between Census workers and residents who don't want to deal with them. It has created a rare instance in which federal prosecutors have stepped in to serve as criminal defense attorneys.
"I was trained to encourage everybody to be in the Census," said Haas, 57, a former New Jersey police officer.
The case hearkens back to an argument that is as old as the nation itself: the tension between federal powers granted under the Constitution, such as census taking, and a state's right to govern itself.
Whether it's state attorneys' general opposing a new health care law or Arizona's immigration law, challenges to federal authority abound. And for the past year, many Census workers have seen it face to face, when they pull open gates or ring a doorbell.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
feds suck. They are all parasites.
When are they going to finish up the census anyhow?
I saw census workers on Butler St. here in Pittsburgh this evening and also last week.
Wasn’t this supposed to be completed months ago?
Are they planning to stretch out the census until the election?
Not in this case. He has a mandate to take count just as police with a warrant.
I’d venture this also has something to do with the ex-cop census worker being a Haole, and the resident being a native.
Even the Military? They are federal you know.
The article mentioned end of August. There’s still plenty of time to get your in!
/s
Part of the hostility is because even after you send in your census forms, filled out as required, the continue to call and harass you. I have had two unpleasant encounters with census takers since I sent in the form, and both of them freely admit they received the forms.
One wanted to go to a secondary residence we own and take a reading from the front porch. He wanted me to take a day off and drive all the way to the mountains to let him in. I refused, and told him to keep off the property.
The other called and wanted me to verify every single answer I gave on the form. It is all make busy work.
Part of the hostility is because even after you send in your census forms, filled out as required, the continue to call and harass you. I have had two unpleasant encounters with census takers since I sent in the form, and both of them freely admit they received the forms.
One wanted to go to a secondary residence we own and take a reading from the front porch. He wanted me to take a day off and drive all the way to the mountains to let him in. I refused, and told him to keep off the property.
The other called and wanted me to verify every single answer I gave on the form. It is all make busy work.
I asked this on another thread a while ago and got no answer. I sent my census in a little late. Census workers came by my house four times, but we weren’t here when they came. I did not call the number on the paper they left because I SENT MY FORM IN! Was I obligated to get in contact with these people if I sent my form in? I realize I was wasting tax payer money by not calling them back and making them keep coming by, but I just kept forgetting to call. I just want to know if I was breaking the law by not getting a hold of them after they came by. The way I see it, I sent in my census as required by law. I don’t know why I’d have to talk to a census worker.
So the census affects how hundreds of billions of dollars are allocated to the states? Hogwash! I don’t want the feds spending my money by throwing it around. It gets allocated by pork-barrel politics. The census doesn’t create any improvement for good citizens. It’s our money, folks, not theirs to take and waste!
The case will probably be thrown out of court as Federal law will preempt local law in this situation.
The arresting officers, esp. those who destroyed the Census form, can and should be arrested for interfering with a Federal officer/employee and destruction of govt property.
Also, this is a case of one cop buddyfu*king another. I’ve seen that before.
Hawaii is more screwed up than you think. You’ve got to read the Hawai’i Free Press and Malia ZImmerman’s writings to find out what is really going on.
Lots of old reds hanging around with political power (from Abercrombie to Akaka and the Revolutionary Communist Party).
For me the hostility comes from Øbozo hijacking the Census and using it as his personal private database. Then when you factor in the incompetence coupled with the arrogance of the census workers my blood sets to burblin.
When they showed up at my door they said I hadn’t submitted my form.
“Yes I did” I replied.
“But we didn’t get it”.
“You’ll have to take that up with the postal authorities”.
“But we’re here now” “Can’t we just have you fill out another one?”
“Nope. First one was free. The next one will cost you”
They went away...mad. They came back several more times but I was always gone (I could tell because they left notes). My cameras showed that they only came to the door and no further onto the property. They finally caught up with me early on a Sunday.
“Can’t talk” I said through the intercom. I couldn’t really make out what they were saying so I repeated “Can’t talk”.
They said something about opening the door to which I replied, “Nope. It’s my day off. You’ll have to come back tomorrow”.
Naturally “tomorrow” I was out of town.
They haven’t returned since.
“F” ‘em
You got it.
Why do we have a census bureau when we already have this thing called the IRS? If you don’t pay taxes, screw you. You just don’t count. Gubmint is interested in where the taxpayers are so they can tax ‘em.
Don't you worry about "wasting tax payer money" on this nonsense. The only folks wasting OUR money are the feds and their minions with their repeated harassment of the citizenry. First they spent millions, killing many trees, to send letters telling us they would be sending the census forms soon. Then they spent millions more, killing many more trees, and sent the census forms. Then they spent billions sending their little fascists out to harass you in their gas guzzling vehicles up to 6 times, or more.
The *blanks* have been here at least 8 times that I can recall, probably closer to 10 or 11. I now document when they show up, type of vehicle and plate numbers when I can, as well as a brief description of the illustrious enumerator. When I tell them to get off my property they leave, albeit after a couple of feeble attempts to speak.
On June 15th after ridding my property of the “Big Guy” that has been here 3 times now in his BIG truck, I called the census bureau and lodged a complaint regarding what I now considered harassment by their little puppets. (I guess they figured I would be intimidated by the “Big Guy” after running off the little older lady 2 or 3 times.) After explaining that everyone that resides at this property address had filled in their census form with the number of people residing at the address and had sent them in, in a timely manner, I was assured we would not be bothered again. After reiterating I had fulfilled my constitutional duty and will not accept census personnel on my property, nor will I give any further information, I was told the census is about over and I would not be inconvenienced again. He did say they were trained to go back 6 times. When I asked why, if the forms had already been sent in, I got no satisfactory answer.
On July 2nd a pretty young thing in a HUGE black SUV showed up as I was working outside. I looked up and asked if she was a census person. When she responded in the affirmative, I pointed to her SUV and told her to leave…get off my property! She tried to say something about having a few questions and I informed her I don’t care what questions she has I’m not answering anything further than what was answered on the census form I mailed in before the deadline. After a few more attempts on her part to speak, I finally started yelling, repeatedly saying get off my property now…leave right now…get in your vehicle and get out. She then left. I attempted to contact the census bureau, but all lines were busy or they were tied up.
July 3rd yet another woman showed up. This one was a major b---h, with a capital B. Long story short with few details, as this may not be over yet, she was here 45 minutes or close to it. She was told to leave…to get off my property at least 20 times. She stood like a statue in my driveway glaring at me if I walked out onto the porch.
The police were called – and never showed up until last night. The head census office for this area was called and I spoke to the supervisor and let him talk to her. He informed me that he told her to leave as that is what they are trained to do when a resident instructs them to do so. He said he would contact her field supervisor and another head person and this would be dealt with. He told me to call him back in 10 minutes, since I wouldn’t give him my number, and he would let me know the outcome of those calls.
15 minutes later I called him back as the bumper of her car cleared my driveway. He was furious she had not left immediately after speaking to him. Then I told him the tirade she launched before leaving telling me I had no right to fly “that flag” or speak about the constitution as I had no respect for either. I went into the house slamming the doors as she stood in my driveway screaming at a closed door for another 5-7 minutes.
Hahaha. Well done :-)
Wow. These people are out of control and you showed remarkable restraint. Especially with the last one.
Thanks, but I called the police because I was about to do something I would live to regret. God help the next one to show up!
Quite a story there. Stay safe man.
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