Why God Invented C-SPAN: Census Edition

Is this a trick question?

I do not think it was done from a racist perspective but it was a little silly.
Many rappers identify with the “N” word using a different spelling for it, as do some younger boys, however that does not make it right, neither should it ever be used to describe a large group no matter how misinformed they are about the usage of such words.

Many young women call themselves the “B” word. Infact, I was furious when I was called that in a friendly way by an acquaintance who used the word “thin” to preceded the “B” word??? Was that a compliment?? I was astounded at her blase use of such a vile word to describe a fellow woman.

I was also aghast to find that the word “B” is freely used by so many it is now accepted as some sort of urban slang.
However, that does not make it acceptable nor should it be used to describe women as a group.

I am curious to know or at least meet some of those who described themselves as “Negro” especially knowing how careful everyone in America is about anything to do with race and semantics.

Even if one million people purportedly described themselves as Negro on past forms that is NO reason to put it on a current form.

If one million women used the “B” word to describe themselves, that does not make it okay to put it in a form either.

It was a mistake and I think, an honest one. However, knowing the dynamics of race in America, it will probably become a massive issue in the news.

LM
http://theblindspotsofgod.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/technology-savvy-nigerian-criminals-are-the-greatest-threat-to-national-security/

I’ll be honest: I have no idea why race remains a question on the census. This may have made sense (statistically, not socially) when black slaves were counted as 3/5ths, but today it seems like an issue that is guaranteed to cause offense with no apparent benefits, whether or not “negro” is included. Can anyone give a satisfactory answer to this?

I was a 2000 Census taker.

There was one thing which I kept on getting questions about was when I asked Latinos if they were black or white, I got some very puzzled looks. (It was more confusing to them since I was standing in front of them that I would not and could not check off the box myself).

I asked them in Spanish, if they thought they looked more like Bill Cosby or me.

Then I got an answer.

The word “negro” to me sounds archaic.
On the other hand, there is the United Negro College Fund and Martin Luther King Jr always called himself a Negro.

To top it off, Negro is not an insulting term in it’s own right. It is Spanish for black (but then pronounced Nay grow rather than knee grow).

I am aware that the word Negro was used by people like George Wallace and other famous racists, but, that was, also, because that was one of three terms. (The other being “colored” and the third being the N word.)

I think the term Negro unintentionally became a bad term since it is from an era before civil rights.

On my census form I think I’ll just call myself a cracker and see if that is not the 2020 census.

As far as I know, this census is similar to several of its predecessors in the respect that some people are asked to respond to a list of additional questions in order to develop a detailed statistical portrait of the US. The Bureau can slice and dice the data in a variety of ways, for example determining median family income for each zip code in the US. So asking about race makes it easy to determine median family income for blacks, whites, hispanics, etc. in any given geographical area. This data can be used in a variety of ways in the conduct of all sorts of programs. Calm down, Rusty — It is not used to determine who is most vulnerable to being placed under the absolute dominion of Uncle Sam’s jackbooted thugs.
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As for “negro,” if you think you’re a negro, check the box. If you don’t, don’t. The census is still basically a headcount. No one’s trying to measure the degree of your sensitivity to various labels. Michelle Bachmann notwithstanding, no one intends to use the data to let them mark the doors to the houses of Republicans and Tea Partiers so the angel of death can take their first-born sons. (Although it’s a thought …)
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Which reminds me: a joyous Passover to those for whom such a greeting has signifcance. Even Eric Cantor.

Greuven,

AMEN to that…let’s get back to basics and the original requirement for the census by the US Constitution.
Article I section 2

“Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. ”

Questions 3, 4, 8,9,10 serve no practical Constitutional purpose.

I’m more concerned that they think it takes someone 10 minutes to answer the ten questions.

KT: Should “negro” be on the census form?

I’m fairly sure that the Census Bureau put it in there for the reasons Groves is stating, with no ill intent.

Being a middle-aged white guy, I can’t tell what a person of color should or should not find offensive…But it’s not as if the word is only being used as a slur; I haven’t heard any uproar about the name of the United Negro College Fund or picketing of the Negro League Baseball Museum…but there is a lot of history and connotation there for people.

(shrugs shoulders)

Negro, black, African-American…it doesn’t matter to me. I’d rather see: 1. Do you think Sarah Palin is qualified to be President? If they check yes, I’d like to see them get offered $10,000 to become a foreign national.

sacred, three networks provided live coverage of her campaign event today with Old Grumpy. I’ll chip in on that $10,000.

Just to be enticing, I’d add:
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If you love it, you’ll leave it.

“the Negro League Baseball Museum”
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Thanks for getting the name correct. The museum hates it when people call it the Negro League Hall of Fame.

Then, of course, there’s this…

a group of Confederate rights activists is urging southerners with Confederate ancestors to declare themselves “Confederate Southern Americans” on census forms in order to qualify for national origin protection under the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/03/eye_opener_group_wants_souther.html

Folks my mom’s age (late 70s) may still refer to themselves as “Negro” – I think that’s the reason why it’s still there. Heck, we’ve “officially” called ourselves different things thru the decades(“N” word excluded) so although I don’t call myself that, “Negro” doesn’t bug me.

I’ve never quite understood why failed seditionists have any reason to brag.
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Putting aside the slavery issue ( boy is THAT an awkward statement) they by- definition-couldn’t be more anti-U.S.
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The flag itself is a symbol of hatred of the country and losing.

I keep hoping for White Trash and Hillbilly.

For the record, I am very familiar with the reasoning for these questions.

1) On the short form you can find out how integrated our country is. Where I grew up in the suburbs of NYC – not integrated. Boston- far more segregated than that (not including the town I actually was in at the time, though). Queens: very, very integrated (four ethnic groups and three races in four apartments nearest one another including me.)

2) Of course within Latinos they want to know if dark skinned Latinos are getting the same jobs as light skinned Latinos. Especially the second and third generation outside of last name are thought of as either black or white even though Latin America is far more advanced in terms of being color blind than the US is.

By far the ones most hostile to the long forms were lower middle class, angry white guys telling me that I was a part of an intruding government. I told them, in more polite terms, that I, personally, didn’t give a flying duck about the answers and just wanted to get the form completed for them and most cooperated.

In 2000 angry white guys nationwide killed about four or five census takers.

“In 2000 angry white guys nationwide killed about four or five census takers.”
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Their uncivil rights were violated.

“This land my land.
It is not your land.
If you don’t get off
I’ll blow your head off.
I’ve got a shot-gun
and you aint got none.
This land is private property.”
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The angry white guy theme song (sung to “this land your land’).
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It is the long lost amendment to our constitution, ‘the right to shoot people you don’t like on your porch.’

just,
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if a census taker comes to your door, just be polite.
If you turn him down, his supervisor will make sure that he is not at home making up the idea that you refused him. He will be over about a month later.
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Please be polite to him, too.
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I had people say, “I am not going to answer that question, so, you can just give me the fine later on.”
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Fine?
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I wasn’t going to explain that the worse thing you’ll get from not answering the census is a dude at your door saying “Oh, please, sir. It’s really important!”

Half of the people I work with have concealed weapons permits. I never go to one of their cookouts if they have a keg.

My attitude towards descendants of Confederate is, sure you can be a protected group on one condition: either we slaughter one third of your people and take away all of your property or make you into other people’s property beat you, rape your women, rip apart your families and force you to do hard labor for two hundred years.
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Deal?

We’ll land on your street eventually

Sorry lawyermommy but this time you are way out of line. Don’t equate Negro with these other terms because it was never a derogatory term. While it’s true that in the sixties and seventies we engaged in an exercise of empowerment where we chose to name ourselves and discard our traditional labels. However, there’s a lot of people over the age of 70 who grew up with this term and just because they haven’t adopted the terms of the young growing up in the civil rights movement doesn’t mean our elders have done anything wrong or disrespectful. In fact its the young who don’t know their history that are out of order. If my Dad and his 96 year old sister want to call themselves Negro they’ve earned it.

That would seem more logical if the census actually included questions on income. But in any case, why is it important to break down income by race? By geographical reason I can understand, but shouldn’t the federal government take Stephen Colbert’s lead and be color blind?
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And, bobell, do I really come off sounding like rustyblog? I can assure you that was not at all my intent. I am genuinely curious why race is a factor, and I’m not trying to pose a provocative question for the sake of provocation.
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Happy Passover to you too. Speaking of Passover, why is Jewish not included as a race on the census? (Technically it’s both a race and a religion.) Or Arab, for that matter? And for that matter, are people with origins in the Middle East considered Asian-American or Caucasian? With all the distinctions offered to Hispanics and Latinos, is there really no room to distinguish between people of Anglo-Saxon, Italian, or Russian heritage?

I am sorry but having worked for the census they are grouping.. gathering statical information and YES they do allot money according to race.. in a all white area there is usually no need for classes to teach Spanish speaking ENGLISH.. therefore that money is not allotted to that area.. As far as I am concerned I am offended they are even asking RACE.. When applying for a job that is not allowed, applying for a loan, marriage license etc.. it’s against FEDERAL LAW as is age and ethnicity so my answers will be AMERICAN, AMERICAN CITIZEN and no answer.. being represented in Washington (which by the way I don’t feel I have been) does not require answers to these question.. since it’s suppose to be equal representation no matter What color I am, nationality or age..

greuven,
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The long forms in 2000 including every ethnic group you could think of.
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The long forms, also, included income, value of your house, monthly mortgage payments, your level of education and the last time you and your spouse had sex.
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(No, not that last one, but, the rest of those questions were very personal, so, it seems like the next logical conclusion.)
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So, it was all covered in detail for one in ten people who got the long form.

Let me say this I did not like Obama as my senator event though I had voted for him, I didn’t vote for him for president because he stunk as my senator.. and I couldn’t vote for McCain cause he stunk as bad as Obama and I wound up voting 3rd party.. so to see Palin out campaigning for this RINO makes me wonder if she’s even a conservative..

patrick, you’re referring to the “castle doctrine”. While you can’t shoot someone just because you don’t like them, you can shoot them if it’s in protection of yourself or others (on your property) from violence, intrustion, etc and not have to worry about the cops dicking with you about it.
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sacredh, in Texas at least, you’re not supposed to be carrying if you’re drinking, it’s a violation of CHL protocol.
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Also, thought some people on here would enjoy this:
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34714389/ns/us_news-life/
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I was making a joke about Census takers very illegally murdered in 2000, not the castle doctorine.
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I am not going debate gun control right now.
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Gun control is limiting guns to people who have passed criminal back ground checks only.
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In New York State, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts and several other states, carriers permits are limited to law enforcement, particular branches of security such as body guards and armored car drivers and business owners who, as a part of their work, regularly carry or transport large amounts cash.
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Shotguns, riffles and other hunting weapons are for all people, after meeting earlier background checks, can fill out a form for a hunter’s license to identify the person who has the gun and what legal hunting ground they are going to use their guns at.
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I am less than half a mile from where New York City hunting licenses are issued and, since walking around with a loaded shot gun is illegal in almost every place, I am unworried about people doing paperwork to go hunting far, far away from my home.