Census and Sensibility
Why be angry?
Today I received a letter from the U.S. Census Bureau demanding that I fill out the "American Community Survey." I was to give information about myself, my housing situation, income, and employment to help the federal government distribute $675 billion to communities.
Not long ago I could have written a whole series of essays about how wrong this is. This requirement, which takes as much as 40 minutes of one's time without compensation, is involuntary servitude. The inquiry into our personal lives goes beyond the intent of the Constitution's Commerce Clause.
My arguments could have gone in other directions as well. How Congressional corruption will ensure the money is wasted. How federal social spending helped create and deepen culture wars. How it's actually more democratic for states to fund and build things themselves than to rely on federal funding and accompanying bureaucratic mandates.
Obviously, I was thinking all these things, but today I had no emotional attachments to the thoughts. I wasn't angry. I followed instructions and filled out the survey.
Soon after completing it, I saw that Dave Grohl, frontman for the rock band Foo Fighters, was trending on Twitter. It was in connection with Westboro Baptist Church, the notorious anti-gay outfit in Kansas that often sends protesters to one thing or another. They decided to protest the Foo Fighters prior to a concert, and the band responded by performing the Bee Gees' "You Should Be Dancing" on a flatbed truck in front of them.
I am in complete disagreement with Westboro Baptist's anti-gay bigotry, but what I've wondered about isn't that, but all the time and effort these protesters invest in their cause. What a sad thing to let hate dictate your schedule. To be angry or frustrated all the time because of what other people may be doing. To fight something you have absolutely no control over.
That's one reason I feel myself letting go of my own anger toward laws and policies I disagree with. I have no control over the political process. Do I think smaller government would be better? Yes. But the one place I know I can shrink the government is in my own head. The less attention I pay to politicians, the less control they have over me where it matters most: my mind and my soul.
I have happier things to think about.
James Leroy Wilson writes from Nebraska. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter. If you enjoy his articles, subscribe and exchange value for value. You may contact James for your writing, editing, and research needs: jamesleroywilson-at-gmail.com. Permission to reprint is granted with attribution.
For sports-only content, subscribe to The MVP Chase.