Unreported Extremists

I've met two Census workers in my neighborhood this month and both were very polite, not at all intrusive, and were generally nice people. I didn't feel threatened, like my personal liberties were be infringed upon, and the encounters left me with a sense that conservatives have really hyped these people up to be beasts to be feared.

Apparently there is still enough of that fear out there that Census workers have been attacked.

In response to inquiries by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Census Director Robert Groves said the bureau’s temporary workers knocking on doors to collect information have faced 29 threats involving a gun, four robberies and three instances of being held against their will or carjacked.

Bureau officials said the overall pattern and types of incidents are similar to the 2000 census, but cautioned this year’s figures are already much higher than ten years ago and include a mix of news accounts and formal reports to the bureau’s safety office.

The later paragraph is going to give conservatives somewhat of an "out" when they are faced with the task of responding to information regarding Census workers being attacked. However, the level of hatred towards Census workers by the likes of Glenn Beck, Michelle Bachman, and Michelle Malkin leads me to believe that they won't be talking about reports of these attacks, as they have - in more ways than one - invited them.

Think Progress has more.