I had a very interesting conversation with a census worker this past Monday, my next door neighbor in fact. She related that for the most part, folks are pleasant and well mannered. There are a few counties here in Virginia;however I will not name them, where census workers have been threatened, chased off property, and shot at. In that folks have been shot at, I was not so shocked to learn of this fatality. That it was a hanging is a bit more sinister.
Being chased off property, and being shot at are a means of sending the message," stay the hell away, government man/woman!". Hanging a census worker brings more into the picture. The hanged person was punished. That the person was left hanging sends a message; rather clear one at that. Have we gotten to the point where census workers need to be accompanied by LE? I know there are times and places where EMS will not go without a LE presence.
I guess my point is that we take the mundane job of census workers for granted. Nice safe job for a short time, earn some bucks, provide government number crunchers something to chew on. Think again! I was not shocked to learn of the hostility; the degree of hostility did wake me up a bit. The person I was talking to is a Masters prepared mother of two who has been out of the job market for some time, and she has been threatened.
My prayers are out for the Sparkman family, as well as census takers caught unaware!!
RF 1