Got my census yesterday and filled it out. It just had 10 questions. I refused however to fill out questions 8 and 9 because they were about race.
The way I see it the race issue will never be dead until we quit focusing on it. Ever since blacks were deemed to be people and women were given the right to vote, the purpose of the census is just to count people. If you go back in time far enough we are all African. So I decided the questions were out of bounds. My opinion is that this question will lead to race based decisions and is therefore racist.
Makes sense.
No, it’s exptremely important that we be able to group people under easily identifiable labels, so that we can reinforce these superficial differences (as if any two people are really the same), and exploit them for political gain.
You sound like a racist. Who cares. At least they didn’t ask how many guns I own! Years from now someone tracing their geneology will appreciate it.
If you dont answer they will keep coming to your house until you do. Just answer “Human”. It is just as true as any of their options.
When you apply for Veterans benefits the first question on the form is “Are you Hispanic”. I am not. I was denied based on income level. I make almost half what my Hispanic friend makes. He was not denied. Go figure.
Oh, I get it. There is NO SUCH THING AS RACE. Good for you. You just screwed up the ability of the census, which is race, age, gender and economic factor neutral, to be able to see how the data factor of race has changed, evolved, dispersed, etc.
Idiot.
Just select OTHER and put American.
There’s nothing wrong with race any more than there is with sex. Why answer the question about what sex you are and not what race you are?
Everyone is different why not celebrate it and enjoy the differences? If everyone was the same it would be boring.
The problem isn’t differences. The problem is when people decide that one group is better than another group and when people confuse cultural differences with genetic difference.
Stuart Hall says it better than I can: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8471383580282907865#
There is no such thing as race. Our president is an example of that.
Yep, YOU are King of Your Own Island. Well Done Captain Truth and Defender of Liberty and All Things Good.
Fact is though, while I agree with your concern, unless you have become unhinged on the issue, you should recognize that “reasonable people” can have the opposite view? Like past racism, and even current racism, is still affecting people?
When reasonable people can disagree, reasonable people should stop disagreeing. You should keep your personal assessment of the erroneously applied race information and complete the form. Its the American thing to do.
#6, the reason for the census is to apportion representatives; everything else should be the discretion of the individual to answer, or not.
…I’ve always found that amusing about most US forms — if someone put a “Race” checkbox or entry on a form around here, the issuer would be sued out of existence.
Granted, a census form is one place where it might actually make a smidgen of sense, but they seem to pop up everywhere over there. O_o
Under “race,” list either “Indy” or “Nascar.” Works for me.
Marc Perkel said,
There is no such thing as race. Our president is an example of that.
You really think that race had nothing to do with Obama getting elected? Or why some people hate him? Or why people claim he is Muslim or not an American citizen?
If you don’t want to listen to the Hall video here’s a transcript where you can skim what he says: http://msu.edu/course/atl/125/fernandez/hall.html
The real problem with race is that it, like much of the human experience is a social construct. It really does a good job of dividing us and holding us back, but offers very little in return.
You don’t have to answer any question but one: How many people live here. Nothing else.
“If you go back in time far enough we are all African.”
I’m pretty sure we, as humans, didn’t start out all black or African as you stated Marc O.o China and Europe has a long history and I don’t recall many of them to be African or black.
Honestly what made you make that racist comment in the first place? I find it rather insulting. Blacks be damn I say. They can’t seem to get enough attention on this racist sht. I’m asian and you don’t see Asian voicing like aholes about what has happened to us. At some point enough is enough and they need to move on. When I see a black person use racism I point and laugh; simply from the fact that most have no fcking clue why they are doing it.
As for Obama, race did have a part in it. Many asian families voted for him simply because he’s black, period. Many students like and voted for him simply because he’s black and represents a “change” in what we normally see…white presidents that fck up the country.
Race is there, live with it. It’s not going to go away because there are tons more fck up racist aholes in the world then there are people like you and I (and I use you loosely due to your comment there). Do your part, serve the tyranny!
#11, SL,
#6, the reason for the census is to apportion representatives; everything else should be the discretion of the individual to answer, or not.
Nope, it isn’t. Liebertarians like to think so, but that is just their wishful, warped, thinking.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Census#United_States
#9 Marc. That’s completely idiotic! That’s like saying there is no such thing as left-handed people. Or tall ones. Or funny ones.
Race is not racism. It’s just a factor. Like shoe size.
The point with Obama is proof that race plays no part in the ability for a person to think, create consensus and lead.
I celebrate the fact that when Obama was elected, a long-overdue veil was lifted from the eyes of everyone. Every black kid now knows that there are zero limits. Any degree of racism encountered is countered by living proof in the White House that the racism is bullshit.
But if “there is no such thing as race” were true, the poignancy of putting it in its place would be lost.
When people overdo their reaction to the validity of race as an indicator of origin, history and evolving social conditions, they are actually indulging in a degree of racism.
Forever I won’t be able to see your posts here without having the thought run through my mind that Marc Perkel is a minor-league racist.
“Marc’s one of those guys who thinks he’s doing the universe a big favor by denying that people have race.”
#11 Sea Lawyer. The REASON for the census includes apportionment, but that is far from its only purpose.
It’s a demographic survey. Many factors. Many reasons to compile data.
The one thing it is definitely NOT: Personal.
if you don’t fill out your census your are a pedophile-terrorist!
maybe a nazi-communist too
nazcomupedorisst!
OK – What is the race of Tiger Wood’s kids?
#22 Marc
What breed is the offspring of a bulldog and a shitsu?
‘Race’ is just the term used for the breed of people
#22 Marc:
Exotic.
Why the fuck are some stupid idiots so thin skinned they can’t even fill out a form without crying foul about an imagined slight or category?
Grow the hell up and fine some brain cells and common sense.
And #23, that would be a bullsu.
#17–TheOne==just how old/isolated are you? Never had a formal education? Only watch Mexican Midget Wrassling on TV?
I wonder how “old” you think Chinese and European “history” is. How old is “human” history.
Scientifically–how would you evaluate the mechanism that allowed three different animal groups to evolve seperately from one another and yet could interbreed?
Total fail on history and science. I wonder what the third item could be????
Tell us One===what else is on your mind these days?
Marc #22: Bladish
Marc, I completely agree with you. This whole “celebrate diversity” crap has to stop. The more we point out our differences, the more people will continue to think in terms of “us” and “them.”
Skin pigmentation is a simple function of genetics. So is eye color. You don’t hear anyone bitching about the green-eyed people, do you? How about the blue-eyed people? Brown-eyed?
My Argentinean wife and I had a hard time filling out those questions to describe her. She’s part Argentinean (native), part Spanish and part Lebanese (awesome mix, if you ask me). Good luck figuring that one out, Mr. Census Man.
Hey dummy, the race question is there for exactly the opposite reason that you claim.
The race question is there to help ensure that there is a fair balance, that all are given equal opportunity. Suppose you are in an area that is 80% black, yet 70% of the benefits (such as home loans) go to whites… unless there is a racial composition statistic for the area, you can not show that there is discrimination going on.
Equal opportunity has to be proactive, and that requires knowing the composition of the area.
The purpose of asking for race is to reduce racism, not the opposite.
Since the reason for the census is to apportion representatives, is race a factor in this? I mean do people count more or less in the apportionment based on race?
I will answer 1, 2, and 5 since those relate to the purpose of the census. Anything else is missing the point of the census and I will not answer.