The Church Newsroom has announced that the First Presidency is urging U.S. Members to participate in the United States Census. A letter will be read from the pulpit in all U.S. congregations:
In a letter to be read in all U.S. congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the First Presidency urged Mormons to participate in the 2010 United States Census:“The United States Constitution mandates that a census be counted every ten years. This census is used to determine the makeup of state legislatures, local school boards, and other government bodies and to determine how many seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Church also uses census data for planning purposes.“The Census Bureau will soon deliver census questionnaires to every household in America. We urge all members to respond to them in an accurate and timely manner. It is an important obligation for all citizens to be counted in the census.”
That such a letter needs to be read at all says some disturbing things about some of the far right politics of some Church members.
March 15, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Why do I feel as though I was just reading about this…?
What goes around, comes around, I guess.
March 15, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Why do you assume that this has to do with “far right politics of some Church members,” such as Glenn Beck? To me it simply sounds like good advice for any citizen, especially in view of the Church’s own reasons given in their letter.
March 15, 2010 at 3:41 pm
RAF: Thanks for the link to your post. It looks very good, and will make sometime tonight to read it.
Jeremy: Probably because I don’t see any other group advocating noncompliance with the Census. And, Glenn Beck is by far and away the most prominent right wing fringe element in the Church . . .
March 15, 2010 at 4:23 pm
Guy,
Michelle Bachman used to be against the Census until she realized that if Minnesotans were undercounted, her seat would vanish and she would be out of a job. Now she’s gungho for it.
March 16, 2010 at 10:41 am
My Hypothesis: The main reason the Church wants full compliance with the Census is that so, in 70 years, people can use the Census records for extraction and submission for temple work. Now, it seems redundant that they are encouraging people of record to fill out the census for extraction purposes, but maybe they are betting on the members’ example to neighbors who will also fill it out.
As far as the government use of the census is concerned, they only need to know the number of people in the residence. Also, if they really wanted to know, they could just hook up to the SSI database or IRS database to get the information.
March 16, 2010 at 5:16 pm
“Also, if they really wanted to know, they could just hook up to the SSI database or IRS database to get the information.”
The Census Bureau does some of the most amazing demographic analysis in the work. I you tax form is asking you the same stuff that the census form does, you are filling out a fake tax form.
March 16, 2010 at 5:19 pm
I just get sort of baffled at the hullabaloo with people insisting that we shouldn’t fill out the census.
Although it’s unfortunate that such a letter is necessary, I think it’s a good measuring stick to realize where ideas turn into extremism.
March 17, 2010 at 5:08 pm
First, The LDS Church leaders encourage the members to vote and to participate in their civic duties routinely. There is really no political concern with such a statement. In fact I do think it is a pretty significant leap of logic to say that such a statement is somehow deemed necessary because of the views of “right wing Mormons” or that the General Authorities of the LDS Church had that in mind thus feeling the need to issue the statement. The reality is, many people have concerns about the census from all walks of life as seen in the polling data. In fact, that last census go around in 2000 the stress fears were not ”right wing Mormons” or right wing anyone but illegal aliens who feared filling it out would get them deported. So was it some left wing rebellion then? In fact the polling shows that republicans realize by 2 to 1 over democrats that it is illegal not to fill out the entire census. So the fact is it is hardly a right wing Mormon issue that compelled the Church to raise the issue wouldn’t you say?
Simply put, the Church issued the statement because it uses the census data in a lot of its planning and it knows that many people are apathetic or generally have concerns (again as polling data clearly shows) in following up with the census regardless of politics. Your comment was not only an inaccurate leap of logic, it was unfounded and really unnecessary. However you are entitled to your views.
Polling excerpts from Rasmussen:
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of adults think
- incorrectly – that it is not against the law to not answer all the questions on the Census. Another 30% are not sure.
Republicans are twice as likely as Democrats to say it is illegal not to answer the entire Census. Adults not affiliated with either major party are the least likely to think that.
Twenty-one percent (21%) of government employees say it is illegal not to answer all the Census questions, compared to 10% of those who work in the private sector.
Men think the Census seeks more detailed private information than women do. Higher-income Americans also tend to believe the Census is looking for more than just a headcount of the American population and some basic information.
Sixty-one percent (61%) of adults say they have followed recent news stories about the Census at least somewhat closely. Thirty-four percent (34%) aren’t following news about the Census closely, if at all.
Some of the suspicion about the Census is likely being fed by the high level of unhappiness with the government’s actions these days.
Seventy-one percent (71%) of voters nationwide say they’re at least somewhat angry about the current policies of the federal government. That figure includes 46% who are Very Angry.
Just 21% of voters believe that the federal government enjoys the consent of the governed.
End of Rasmussen data…
Clearly there is concern about the census right or wrong among many people regardless of political views. Hence the concern from the LDS Leaders and others. You found some fodder to lash out at Beck, fine have at it, just don’t make the leap that this is a far right Mormon concern that required a response from the LDS leaders. That is silly and unfounded.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/general_lifestyle/march_2010/just_13_say_it_s_illegal_not_to_answer_census_questions
March 17, 2010 at 9:26 pm
CC Courant:
Sure they encourage members to vote and participate in civic duties. But, there isn’t a fringe right wing vocal minority actively encouraging fellow citizens to disobey the law re: voting, or other civic duties. There absolutely is such an element actively and very vocally encouraging people NOT to complete or participate to one degree or another. Active amongst those on the far right wing fringe happens to be Glenn Beck–that’s a fact. And, while the Brethren do not consult with me, and of course I don’t speak for them or the Church, it’s a relatively easy case to make their statement is in part due to concerns about folks trying to persuade others not to participate.
In short, it’s not a significant leap–but a rather logical conclusion based on the facts.
The last census isn’t at issue. There wasn’t the same right wing fringe crowd, one of whom currently happens to be Glenn Beck, urging folks not to complete the census. In short, the analogy fails. They are not at all similar.
You can’t ignore the fact there are more vocal right wing fringe elements attacking the census than at any other time. Sure the Church uses census data. And, that’s a good thing. But, to have a very high profile Mormon with an audience of millions to actively encourage non participation with some or all of the census, defeats the legitimate purposes for which the Church does use the census.
It goes beyond mere concern, to active encouragement by some, including Beck to not participate in some or all of the census.
Here’s but one, prominent example, Rep. Bachman:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-5095844-503544.html
Glenn Beck on the census:
http://mediamatters.org/columns/201003160041
and:
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201003090027
I don’t think Beck is the only reason the Church issued it’s statement. But, I think he and many other far right wing fringe elements like him were a factor in the overall equation. Even since the First Presidency announcement, I’ve seen so called “active” Church members downplay if not outright dismiss the Brethren’s counsel.
Here’s a quote from a FaceBook Page of an individual who I know for a fact is a very far right wing fringe conspiracy theorist. He said in response to my posting the First Presidency announcement link on his page:
That’s quite a response from a self-proclaimed active member of the Church in response to the First Presidency announcement. I know for a fact this individual holds a Temple Recommend, is a returned missionary, and within the last year was married in the Temple. Yet, when responding to the First Presidency letter, he describes compliance with their express wishes, as blind obedience, suggesting he will not comply.
On the same FaceBook page, another self-described Latter-day Saint commented:
So, this “active” believing LDS member cites the D&C in order to excuse his non-compliance with a direct piece of counsel from the First Presidency.
I am certain there are many many more out there who hold the same or similar views, despite what the First Presidency counsel might be.
This is not mere fodder, as you suggest to lash out at Beck. Glenn Beck is the antithesis of what Christ taught in the Sermon on the Mount. Daily he spews his hate filled venom, and he does it for money. There are many, many U.S. LDS members who swallow lock, stock and barrel what Beck and those like him dish out daily. I don’t think it silly or unfounded at all the the First Presidency takes these things into consideration when issuing such statements, particularly in the current political climate so poisoned by Glenn Beck and his ilk.
March 17, 2010 at 11:04 pm
Guy:
You make a case in the irrelevant. It is an assumption that is purely circumstantial. The fact is more democrats than republicans think failing to complete the census for whatever the reason is perfectly legal. It is even worse with the unaffiliated to a party. If more democrats are less concerned about abiding by the census law as shown above in Rasmussen polling, and it is not even close, why then is the LDS leaderships message not more aimed at the majority of the potential offenders than the minority as you suggest? 83% of registered voters polled think it is legal to omit parts of the census response or are not sure that it is illegal. The wealthy have a greater distrust. With numbers like that, it would be wise to counsel members to complete the census. And if your organization uses census data directly in your planning and forecasting then it is equally important to emphasize that to your members. The question is, if the fringe right you loathe were not anti census, would the statement still make sense to be made? The answer is yes with the data here. Rasmussen also lays out the data where the uprising in concern for the census is likely related to the general feeling that the government is not trusted. Only 17% of the people feel Congress is doing a good job. Less than one third of the people feel the President is doing a good job. This by definition takes in more people than the fringe right, unless you define the fringe right as a majority of America and if you do you have redefined the term fringe. Those are the facts. So more distrust of government more distrust of the government census. Simple connection there.
When you shake the numbers down you see this concern over the census is far beyond the fringe right as you suggest. AS I said, if you want to call out a comment by Beck for debate and criticism, by all means discuss it. Assuming the LDS leaders issued a statement due only to a concern of fringe right Mormons is not only a huge assumption, it ignores the fact that the audience to whom they are addressing their comments, are more of the democrat and independent affiliation as Rasmussen data clearly shows. A majority of people don’t think omitting census info is illegal.
This is a common mistake of logic. Like this: Bill Gates owns Fort Knox, therefore Bill Gates is Rich. If Bill Gates is Rich, therefore Bill Gates must own Fort Knox. If A implies B then B must imply A which as shown above is plainly wrong.
The fact is like there are many ways to be rich, there are many reasons to counsel to complete the census. It may have to do with the fringe you suggest, but when so much data shows so many people outside that fringe group having problems with the census, it is certainly hard to say that is why. I can hardly think the LDS leaders tuned in to Glenn Beck saw his rant and said, Holy Cow, we better get a statement together right now!
Just as Gordon B Hinckley concluded his remarks at every conference asking members to obey traffic laws, it wasn’t because Guy sped away and got in an accident one day that made him think to say that. It is because it is wise general counsel.
I am not disputing completing the Census nor am I arguing that there are some extreme views on this issue among Mormons (as you argued) nor am I defending Glenn Beck in this instance. I am merely disputing your ridiculous assumption that the counsel is occurring due to fringe right anti census when so much information shows it is a problem everywhere. The Church is largely apolitical. I would guess a similar statement was made 10 years ago also when the fringe right was not a concern even though according to Hillary Clinton the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy was strong;-) Really your assumption here is equally conspiratorial as Beck’s sentiment. I think you are both wrong.
March 22, 2010 at 9:19 am
At a recent gathering of me and all my siblings around our mother’s bedside before undergoing a very serious heart surgery we had a chance to visit quite a bit. Had you been there before, during and after , you would know for a fact that there is a “fringe element” in the church not wanting to comply. In fact, they scare me. I’m not sure I even want to attend the family reunion planned this July because I’m not going to take some of the crap that is going around with these people. It’s disgusting and downright un-Christian. But, they think they are the defenders of righteousness. (NOT)
March 28, 2010 at 5:05 pm
Yes, Glenn Beck came to mind IMMEDIATELY because so many in the church are under his influence and would take his advice to NOT FILL OUT the form. I will be very interested in seeing if Glenn Beck changes his rhetoric after hearing this letter. If not, I will hold it against him as being a mediocre member of the church, at best, which I already think based on his hateful delivery and un-Christ like attitude.
April 13, 2010 at 9:21 am
My first thought when I heard the letter read in Sacrament meeting was, “The First Presidency wants to be sure members don’t listen to Glenn Beck and the Tea Party telling them not to fill out the census.”