It has often been said that religion and politics should never be discussed at the dinner table. That edict could be amended to include one more taboo — personal information.

U. S. Census workers are finding out that holds true on the front porch, in the living room or even on paper.

Americans generally don’t like sharing this type of information with anyone and certainly not a stranger representing the government.

But we must extinguish these fears and honor this civic commitment to our country and our communities.

And, just in case anyone is unclear on the point, participating in the Census is also the law.

But this isn’t the real-life version of George Orwell’s Big Brother keeping tabs on its citizens.

The Census serves several very important functions and not participating can have damaging impact on our lives.

Census statistics are used to determine federal funding for countless social service and infrastructure programs. It also determines the level of representation in government that comes from a particular region.

More than $14 billion each year is allocated to Ohio based on Census data. Census counts determine funding for economic development, public safety, education, food banks, home heating assistance and many other critical programs.

The form is only about 10 questions such as how many people live in your home, do you own or rent, what are their ages, etc. Any personal data you provide will be confidential.

Most residents will soon get the Census surveys in the mail. Hopefully all citizens will do their part to support our great nation.

Patriotism comes in lots of forms but sometimes wielding a pen can be just as important as waving a flag.