Census Counting Guns? No.

"Bob" from Aberdeen, SD, just called in to NPR's Talk of the Nation to contribute to a conversation about suspicion and animosity toward the U.S. Census. Bob complains that the 2000 Census form asked him how many guns he owns and what rooms he keeps them in. Bob says he's no gun nut, but he feels such questions are inappropriate.

Such questions on the Census form are also imaginary. The program guest says he can't recall seeing any such question on the Census long form. Check for yourself: I search the 2000 long form and find neither gun, weapon, nor firearm. Ditto the individual Census report. Ditto the 1990 form. And ditto the 2010 form.

I may have missed something, and I'm open to verifiable information to the contrary.

And don't forget: there is not one documented instance of anyone being fined for declining to respond to the Census... and declining to respond will do you and your community more harm than good.