The way I see it, most blacks who are mixed, consider themselves black. The rest of society does, too. This mixed race thing is just a new option. In the past, when a child was born to one white parent and one black parent, society never recognized the whiteness. (It's a racist thing in my opinion: once someone "dirties" the white, it's no longer white). I don't remember what we checked off for DS.
I would only go to homes that either didn't send in forms, or filled them out wrong. If people don't want to participate, then you ask neighbors about them. I don't know about guessing or whatever for ethnicity. Don't think I could do that. I can't tell an eskimo from a pacific islander from the puerto rican down the street from...
Who's not home, who's just visiting... it's all about where they were living (not visiting) on April 1st.
Money Matters - Part 2
Not sure I agree with that. First, I thought the form was supposed to be factual, not what people 'feel' they are. At what point of 'dilution' does that just become ridiculous?? My kids are 25% Italian. So if they consider themselves of Italian heritage, they are?? People use / abuse that with the system also. When it comes time for financial aid or certain advantages, they suddenly become Cherokee or Hispanic, or whatever.
In my opinion, there is just so reason to ask about race or ethnicity anyway. It's none of their business and we're all a mix anyway. Asking the question is racist, in my opinion.
Anyway, be careful. There will no doubt be some resistance / hostility with some people. Typical government to make the important date April Fool's Day!! ^_^
One financial house upgraded BP stock to Buy.
Better jump right on that.
You first!
No, I learned today (on lunch break now) that people are supposed to fill it out exactly how they view themselves. We are not supposed to fill it in with our best guess if they don't. There is no space for italian, but if your kids identify with their italian side primarily, then they could write it in. Anybody can use any form to manipulate funds. I think no matter how they ask questions and want answers, someone will be there to steal funding. People are supposed to answer honestly about who they are. You can't suddenly become Cherokee if you weren't before. If you're 25% Cherokee and you identify with that, then you can write that down. If you're also 75% white, you can check that one off too.
I don't see this "big hassle" as not worthwhile. I do see the importance of it. I definitely do not see it as racist. You can just refuse to answer if you don't want. Nobody's going to come to your door for a "re-do" for that.
Why does the government need to know race/ethnicity at all?? The whole reason for the census is for apportionment of the House of Reps. Number of heads is all that's needed for that.
You said people are supposed to answer honestly about who they are, but you also say they are supposed to say how they view themselves. No conflict there???
Hmmm, Victor, I don't know what to say. I'm sure it's more than for just the number of reps, but you can visit census.gov to find some answers to the race question and all. If you're still not happy, you can write a letter to the government expressing your opinion and that you'd like the race questions removed. I heard today that the question about owning vs. renting is to find out if (and how much) people are discriminated against based on their race, when trying to get a mortgage.
Personally, I really don't care if they want to count all of us, and then count how many of us are of a particular race or particular combination or where our ancestry is from. I am a curious person and I'd enjoy knowing the answers to these questions. In this day and age, I don't believe that we are a society that sees all individuals as just that and nothing more. We all like to categorize each other and see where we fit in. If we want to move to another town, we look up the demographics to see if there's others already there that we can identify with.
Your conflict Q: No, I don't see much of a conflict, because I believe most people will view themselves as what they are.
There's hundreds of millions of people in this country alone. Some want more counting, more categorizing, some want less... and so the battle goes on forever. I don't think we'll ever live in harmony at the rate we're going.
i am white Anglo Saxon protestant - that is how i answered when asked "tell us about yourself" when i met the parents of a girl i was dating whose parents were strict catholic - they were not amused (although i was) - they had a picture of Jesus - the pope - and JFK on the wall - i asked where is the picture of frank (Sinatra)? - again they were not amused (although i was!) and i think i saw her dad grin when his wife was not looking.
Hee hee. Some people gotta have a sense of humor to live in this crazy world.
This is from the census website:
"By being counted, you help ensure that your community receives its fair share of political representation and government funding."
No info on background or housing is needed for that.
The stuff about housing does not make any sense to me. You cannot discover discrimination in housing and mortgages just from information on how many people live in houses. What is the 'right number'?? If ethnic group X represents 2% of the population, are they supposed to also be 2% of homeowners??
I'm certainly not picking on you, Harp - just expressing my opinion! As for the racist nature of asking the questions, consider this. There are only two possibilities. One is that that information is not used for anything - no action is based upon it. In that case, they're just being nosy and there is no need for asking it. Second possibility is that they do take action based on people's race or background. Treating people differently based on their race is racism - plain and simple.
Did you browse through the FAQs, Victor?
I have no clue, that's what the guy was saying in the class today. Tomorrow I'll ask your questions.
Maybe you're right, Victor. You go try to change the way they do things. Hee hee!
Oh yes, they'll listen to me.
The Europe turmoil continues. Not surprisingly, things have gotten violent in Greece as three people were burned to death from the protesters.
sounds like my ex-wifes relatives have been busy.
There was a pic of JFK in every Irish house I've been in! The better question would have been, where is the pic of Marilyn?!!
they were Italian:) just happy a cathlic was pres - from Looooooooong Island they were.
Trying to do your best Long Island accent there, Bill?
... I thought they were from Ireland.
Longgg Ireland??
I think the Catholics & the Protestants may have had some disagreements in the past. I'm sure that's all been ironed out though...
Hee hee! ^_^
rotfl
Ugh - Freddie Mac, the mortgage behemoth that we continue to bail out, lost another 8 billion in the first quarter.
That's a hole we created, now we have to fill it up.
Yes, the feds did. And now comes the other shoe - they will request 11 billion more. And they say to expect more. The total so far for both Fannie and Freddie is well over 100 billion.
Exactly.
I think well have to put in a few trillion by the time it's filled up.
(I smell new taxes cooking somewhere)
Oh boy - glad I was outside planting during the market pandemonium.
Bad news - the Dow was off 350 pts on the day. Good news? It had been down 900!! Gulp.
Part of the plunge may have been caused by a trader typing B (for billion), instead of M (for million) shares!! The system is that fragile?!!!
Found out today that the Census asks the race question solely for statistical purposes. They don't take action one way or another. They don't share private, personal info with any other government organization. Once they post the overall numbers (population count, etc) then that's all that is shared, until 72 years, then they release the more personal stuff.
So it won't be for 72 years that the public will know I'm in the human race?!!
Better late than never I always say.
Can't see what good 72 year old stats are. But nothing surprises me.
Watch for the crazy market to continue. I've been expecting this for some time.
I think I saw a census worker in the neighborhood today
It's not the statistics that won't be revealed for 72 years, silly! It's the private stuff like birthday, who's what race and where do they live, like that.
Sounds like sociological data, (maybe for sociological anthropologists...)
-Doubt that the traders typo was the cause, everyone is uptight about Greece & who will fall next.
Not the cause, but if it did happen, it only made skittish investors even more skittish.
Interesting about the census info. Is our name even on the form???
Yes, your name is on the form. I take a test today to see how much I learned. Wish me luck. I think I need it.
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