Im curious as to peoples thoughts about race and racial classification. Part of my curiosity is things that I have seen on this board and in the news recently. A gazillion posts concerning George Zimmerman who has been called a white Hispanic, and more recently Elizabeth Warren commenting on Indian (Native American) heritage. Im not entirely sure how I should go about listing things in this post, so please forgive my random organization of my ideas and points. Ill start with the term white Hispanic. I find that an odd way to refer to a person. First of all, Ive never heard anybody use the term white Negro to refer to a person of mixed ancestry that included black (African) descent in their family lineage and white Europeans. Similarly, Ive never heard the term white Asian or white Indian (as it refers to Native Americans or people from India). I dont know, maybe this is because Hispanic isnt classified as a race according to the latest US Census. (More about this later, plus a link). My understanding of the classification of Hispanic is that people of mixed ancestry Native American and white European resulted in what we call Hispanic or Latino (primarily Spaniards when it comes to Mexico and South America). A blend of two races. Yet, most people from mixed black (African) and white (European) ancestry are still considered racially black (African) while people of mixed Native American and European ancestry are not called Native American, they are called Hispanic or Latino, and again, not defined as a specific race. So, lets look at the 2010 US census. Question 6. What is this persons race? Here are the possible choices, White Black, African Am., or Negro American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Indian Chinese Filipino Japanese Korean Vietnamese Native Hawaiian Guamanian or Chamarro Samoan Other Asian (option to elucidate) Other Pacific Islander (option to elucidate) Some other race (Print race) Please note that Hispanic and Latino are not included (but there is a shit-ton of Asian related choices). But wait, there was a question on the Census about Hispanic/Latino affiliation, it was question number 5, here it is . Question 5. Is this person of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin? Here are the possible choices, No, not of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin Yes, Mexican, Mexican Am., Chicano Yes, Puerto Rican Yes, Cuban Yes, another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin (option to elucidate) Link to support the above US Census questions, The 2010 Census Questionnaire: Seven Questions for Everyone - Population Reference Bureau So, who gets to decide if a certain group of people is a race? The US Census? On this board (and others) Ive seen people being called racists for making disparaging statements about Muslims (a religion), Jews (a religion), Mexicans (a nationality), whites, blacks or Asians (actual defined races). Is it time to define Hispanics/Latinos as a specific race? Why are there so many Asian descent races listed on the US Census? What are your thoughts in racial classification?
Hispanic, Latino, etc. isn't based on race. That's ethnicity. Who gets to decide? Me, of course. Who'd you think?
My Question is why do the have "Black, African Am., or Negro" Black I can understand Negro, Old racist term I thought, does not belong on the Form African American? That infers you hold a dual citizenship Do we need to further Change the Form to Say... European American, Australian American, Asian American, Antartican American, etc. You are either an American or you are not, this African American crap is counter productive.... .
Yeah, and why lump all Europeans together...my ex was Italian and I'm Swedish, so some people looked at us like an interracial couple.
Black people (I'm using that term because there is nothing more appropriate) have a problem with their identity. Many of them carry a large chip on their shoulders about being pigeonholed, believing any 'group classification' to have potential negatives. Black History Month African American History Museum National Association for the Advancement of Colored People United Negro College Fund The sooner black people figure out a place they are all comfortable with, the better off we will all be. Or so a black person once confided to me.
I noticed you did not say African American My meaning was how do we get rid of the Racial differences if Citizens in the USA start differentiating them selves as anything other than an American. The Government wants us filling out Forms that say White, Black, Asian.... but if we are US citizens are we not all Americans? .
Disappointing. I though "Who we are" was going to be an interesting link about black people and their place in the world.
Sorry to disappoint. Just some people that call themselves Negro even if Gremlin-USA thinks it's "old racist".