"Uh-oh - they're wearing badges." I hopped up to grab my personal safety alarm in the little room off to the side, just in case.
"We're from the Concerned Citizens of (_______) County, and we're checking RV parks in town to see if the people on our list are still here or have moved on - for voter registration purposes. You can appreciate the importance of knowing who's really here and who isn't," the woman tilted her clipboard down a bit as she spoke.
The hair on the back of my neck immediately stood out - what the? Who the ?
My manager, always the professional, engaged; but one of the first things she said was (sic)
"You understand our skepticism - in today's climate."
"Yes, yes, but look here," the clipboard again tilted, "the woman at the park down the road - Chris - completed their sheet."
"Who are you with?"
She repeated the group's name printed on their badges, adding they just want ballots to go to the right people, or something to that effect. Oregon is a vote-by-mail state.
"Well, nothing can be done now without contacting Upper Mgmt. Do you have a card?"
"No, they just gave us these badges. What is your name? And title?" She scribbled it down.
By that point I couldn't sit still, and as I passed behind my manager's chair I mumbled,
"Who are these people? Where are their credentials?"
I returned to my chair. The woman glanced at me, recognizing her Enemy at the Gate, but she continued pushing her mission on to my manager, who maintained her composure. The whole thing sounded fishy; and the reason it sounds confusing to you now is because it was confusing to us then. Totally unexpected. They announce when Census-takers are coming so you're prepared, but this?
Nothing could be done at the moment, but they could return on Wednesday.
"We work during the week. Would this time next week work?"
YES, PLEASE, I wanted to scream. I don't want to miss a moment of this.
She handed over our list and they left. It seemed to take forever for them to get out the door before we began exchanging notes.
I looked up the name of the group and all I could find was a Facebook page, which set me off even more.
"A Facebook page - A FACEBOOK PAGE!" I hate the fact that nowadays policy is created and announced via social media.
"She must have said 3 or 4 times that other parks did it," the unsaid being so why can't we?
"It doesn't matter if every idiot up and down 101 provided information, this doesn't cut the mustard." I looked at the list and there was my name. "Where did they get this information?"
I half-heard her answer - something about DMV and public records. Apparently it's available for a fee; at least limited information is; but then what other information is it the Government is asking States for?
"Beth and Bill (Workampers from years ago) are on this list, but they're from Idaho."
"I think at one time they registered something here..."
I keep thinking about it. I don't receive my ballot here at the park - I have a Post Office Box. So how does that fit with their little list? A friend of mine who recently moved out of the park but still lives in the county was on the list - it just doesn't make sense what they were doing.
"What identification did they have?"
"Just those badges - Andrea can make those," since I make signs and what-not for the park.
There's no chance of the form being completed for those Concerned Citizens, but my manager is going to make management aware, regardless. One of our other parks has ICE agents hanging around near their entrance, because there's a factory of some kind next door. We don't tell people if someone is here in the park or not - some people have stalkers; and besides, it's simply a matter of privacy.
Perhaps you think I'm paranoid, but how can you not be suspicious of Yahoos with clipboards openly going around collecting information on us and our neighbors?
I can't wait for them to come in next week; and if they do, I'll post an addendum.
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