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U.S. government ponders the meaning of race and ethnicity

47 Comments
By MIKE SCHNEIDER

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In our family, we have five of six ethnic groups. We have no one from the Hispanic group.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The post is about the US. Not Canada.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Lots of whatabouts based inaccurate information to make false equivalencies to justify a weak illogical argument.

The second someone comes up and says whataboutism, I know they realize they got nothing left to say because they're wrong.

All you can do is repeat slavery and Jim Crow laws.

Funny Canada eliminated slavery long before and there are very few slaves in Canada but guess which group still complains the most about being discriminated against?

Don't tell me it's 500 years 400 years 300 years of slavery that caused all that.

Most black people in Canada are immigrants many from Africa from Haiti, no different than the Chinese the Vietnamese and everybody else but they're the first to complain about racism when they don't succeed at something because they learned that from the United States.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

I give up all you can whine about the past that none of you ever experienced but just whine about it's just wine wine funny how other groups can move on one group just whines.

It's amazing how all the Asian colonies that were oppressed by the Europeans somehow managed to pick themselves up and move on and are doing quite well.

Funny how when Asians and Arabs move to the United States and Canada they do well but I guess they're not getting any kind of racism.

But you know 100 years ago there was lynchings so today that still matters because well we're still lynching people at least according to Biden think he said something weird like that.

Keep pushing the narrative it's everybody else's fault it's slavery's fault it's everything else but picking themselves up and doing something.

The British use the Indians as slaves they may not have been slaves by name but they sure the hell were the same thing they weren't sold and bought true but when more broke out the British sure to help press gang them into British military without the same rights or protection again they picked themselves up after all that crap moved on and have done something with themselves inside the UK in America in Canada one group keeps whining doing nothing.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

Please seem only one that can't move on!

Ever heard of Ireland? 700 years of occupation and oppression less 100 year of freedom and it didn't take them long to drop the victim act they didn't have time they moved on with living.

All you are doing is repeating the same old excuse.

Let me point out that at the start of the civil rights movement 20% of black families were single mothers, today that is 70% and poverty rates higher, are you going to blame white people and racism for that also?

Again excuses excuses excuses

It is the black community that isn't carrying for their children, it is black on black violence killing young black men not the police but that doesn't play well in the media or the blame game.

I was a single white Gaijin father of 2 little children stuck in Japan with no family to help and a government that wouldn't help and the "no Gaijin" was common, I picked myself up and got to working in any Job I could find from construction to garbage sorting!

This is not a friendly place for a single Gaijin with children but if I did like you and blamed everything on others well my kids would have a jr high education and perhaps a low paying menial job, instead I am in Dept up to my eyeballs and my children have good university educations and good long term propects so they don't end up like I did.

It is called being responsible for yourself.

Lots of whatabouts based inaccurate information to make false equivalencies to justify a weak illogical argument.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

The Irish were never slaves. They got most of their country back. They were not transported against their will to another country.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Didn't Black people spend 265 years as slaves and 150 years Black Codes?

> Do you really believe with common sense that those two situations are equivalent?

Please seem only one that can't move on!

Ever heard of Ireland? 700 years of occupation and oppression less 100 year of freedom and it didn't take them long to drop the victim act they didn't have time they moved on with living.

All you are doing is repeating the same old excuse.

Let me point out that at the start of the civil rights movement 20% of black families were single mothers, today that is 70% and poverty rates higher, are you going to blame white people and racism for that also?

Again excuses excuses excuses

It is the black community that isn't carrying for their children, it is black on black violence killing young black men not the police but that doesn't play well in the media or the blame game.

I was a single white Gaijin father of 2 little children stuck in Japan with no family to help and a government that wouldn't help and the "no Gaijin" was common, I picked myself up and got to working in any Job I could find from construction to garbage sorting!

This is not a friendly place for a single Gaijin with children but if I did like you and blamed everything on others well my kids would have a jr high education and perhaps a low paying menial job, instead I am in Dept up to my eyeballs and my children have good university educations and good long term propects so they don't end up like I did.

It is called being responsible for yourself.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

Again just blacks take a guess at the reception Vietnamese got once they arrived in the USA especially from former military and family of dead soldiers. But they moved on they didn't dwell on the past

Black people were slaves for several centuries. They continued to be burnt and hung for another century. They are continuing to be discriminated to this day.

None of your anecdotal evidence can compare.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Comparing the journey of blacks to any other group in the U.S. is ridiculou

Not it isn't, they claim it all comes from Racism and slavery that they don't succeed.

So wait you are telling me that only black people got racism?

I guess your knowledge of North American history is very limited.

Look up exactly what happened to the Chinese after the railroads were completed, look up head tax etc...

Again just blacks take a guess at the reception Vietnamese got once they arrived in the USA especially from former military and family of dead soldiers. But they moved on they didn't dwell on the past

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

Ask the majority of African Americans what they want to be and according to the US government statistics a basketball star.

> But please keep fooling yourself that this is all got to do with race that we only pick on the black people and for some reason every other group somehow succeed

Wanting to be a STAR, in any field is more about money and prestige so what is wrong with that? You would do it if you had the talent. Comparing the journey of blacks to any other group in the U.S. is ridiculous. There are people, and I read and sometimes have heard it, who would throw out or not consider your job application just by if your name sounded black. Black people teach their kids how to sound white on the phone. There is a reason for it that you can't understand.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

France put sanctions on Haiti, so no European country or its colonies would work with them. It was a warning for the other colonies threatening to revolt. How can an island consisting of slaves brought from a land completely different from the island thrive without trade?

Nope they joined with the Dominican Republic and even it couldn't stand the mess Haiti brought to the table.

As for victim blaming, please give it a rest!

The Vietnamese were boat people, my friends didn't come to Canada and their friends didn't go to the United States because they wanted to immigrate they were expelled from Vietnam many for being ethnically Chinese or partially ethnically Chinese they spent years five six years more in some cases living on boats in refugee camps if you want to call them that.

Black people in America and Canada had it better than those Vietnamese who arrived and did nothing with it still today of Vietnamese or Chinese or Indian immigrant refugee it doesn't matter what you want to call them we'll study they will look up they will look at a Chinese millionaire they will look at a white millionaire and they will say that's what I want to be and the best way to get there is through school a proper university degree.

Ask the majority of African Americans what they want to be and according to the US government statistics a basketball star.

But please keep fooling yourself that this is all got to do with race that we only pick on the black people and for some reason every other group somehow succeeds.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

415 years is greater than 58 years.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Official country = 1776

265 years = slavery

100 + years = Black codes

58 years (1960s) = Civil Rights

Vietnamese immigrants (1978-1982) - Right around the time of MTV and the first music video!

Today =2023

Many of the White adults and children who were against equal rights for Black people are still alive today. They are police officers, firefighter, politicians, teachers, neighbors, cooks, doctors, judges, supervisors, and coworkers. That include the murderers and terrorists of Black people.

415 years 58 years.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Shalini Parekh wants a way for South Asian people to identify themselves differently than East Asians with roots in places like China or Japan.

I agree that this is going a bit far.

If they have migrated to a nation which offers them something more than the one they left, then they should consider themselves Americans/Canadians/British first and Chinese/Indians/Asians/Africans later.

In the UK, the ethnicity 'Asians' is used more to refer to South Asians but in the US it's used more for East Asians because of their greater populations in the respective countries.

I know that many Indian Americans who initially migrated to the US had difficulty digesting the fact that Indians in the US referred to the natives instead of those with Indian heritage (who were previously referred to as dot Indians until someone called it out as racist but I still think it was a bit funny), so now will they raise objections over that as well?

There was a time when Italian Americans were not considered white enough. All these hyphenated terms are artificial constructs.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

tokyo_m

Today 08:56 am JST

Shalini Parekh wants a way for South Asian people to identify themselves differently than East Asians...

Doesn't seem too difficult to me. Seems he just did it himself.

She, not he. Shalini is a girls name, not a boys name.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Antiquesaving

The difference isn't racism it isn't interference it is mentality.

Sounds like victim blaming! This previous post is weakest argument on this article comparing immigrants to African-Americans. Remember, immigrants chose to come to the US because they felt it was better in the US than war, financial crisis, and oppression. African-Americans were brought against their will and stripped of their culture and separated from their families that united them. Then for 100+ years, they were treated as animals to bred, abused for pleasure, and sold. They had to fight for their freedom that divided the country which lead large scale deaths. That war also humiliated some and economically ruined others especially in the South. After that, the country spent 265 years creating laws to allow to discriminate and stunt their progress as a people. When that did not work, they would simply incite a "white riot" to burn everything down and cause mass genocide. This was not just one incident like "the trail of tears", but many over two centuries. Therefore, a 500 + year old country where most of its existence treated Black people less than human (Constitution) and have be grudgingly given them "equality" for only 60 years. Who do you think is the real problem? The people in power mistreating another group for 400+ years or the group being oppress? The people who fought for their freedom and equality? Or the many people in power who fought against that freedom and equality? The people some call mom, dod, grandma, grandpa, uncle, aunt, now.

Now compare that to the immigrants like Asians and other immigrants who came after Black people spent 400 years to fight for the equality and freedom that all people benefit from. The same immigrants who have their original culture, language, and history that connects them to their homeland. The culture that gives them pride, community, and connects them to all generations of immigrants from that culture.

The reason they are specifically called "Black" because they cannot trace their roots to a specific nation due to slavery. Most US Caucasians can still trace their roots to their homelands with a little effort. Only African-Americans (not Chinese-American or Vietnamese-American) in the US have to create an entirely new culture based off of slavery and discrimination from Caucasians. That is where most of their holidays stem from. The ending of legal slavery and oppression. What other immigrant groups have that situation?

By the way, the group that benefited the most from the Civil Rights movement and affirmative action was White women.

India, 1949, Vietnam 1945 with massive resistance from the French then Americans, now look at how India and Vietnam are today compared to Haiti,

First, several crucial factors caused this decline. First, the warfare of the Haitian Revolution destroyed the capital and infrastructure of the economy. Second, Haiti lacked diplomatic and trade relations with other nations. Third, Haiti lacked investment, both foreign and domestic investment.

France put sanctions on Haiti, so no European country or its colonies would work with them. It was a warning for the other colonies threatening to revolt. How can an island consisting of slaves brought from a land completely different from the island thrive without trade?

Second, all Black people regardless of where they come from are all grouped as Black people and treated as such unless they mentioned their immigrant roots. On the other hand, all Asian in the US are always considered immigrants even when they are citizens and are treated as such.

Someone seems to be victim blaming!

3 ( +8 / -5 )

this increasingly convoluted hierarchy of victimhood serves only 2 kinds; the race hustlers who become quota hires, and the white virtue-signalers who hope, as Winston Churchill once said, "the crocodile eats them last".

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

@Peter Neil

No one, or their parents, or grandparents or great-grandparents in the US was a slave. The 1960's were two generations ago. There is nothing stopping anyone in the US from thriving and succeeding. What's stopping you?

The people burning crosses, killing minorities, and discriminating against them or the same people you would Grandma and Grandpa. Therefore, it is not that log ago.

No one, or their parents, or grandparents or great-grandparents in the US was a slave.

Second, that is utterly false. You do not understand how time works!

1 ( +7 / -6 )

Black people, who have been mistreated for centuries, have never been financially compensated (reparations). People do not want to because of the continued racist views and because the bill is too high in their minds.

I kept hearing that as I grew up in Canada, funny how the Vietnamese refugees did very well, the Lebanese fleeing civil war did well but the Haitians well they didn't because of "racism" according to them.

But wait when did Haiti become independent? 1804!

India, 1949, Vietnam 1945 with massive resistance from the French then Americans, now look at how India and Vietnam are today compared to Haiti,

The difference isn't racism it isn't interference it is mentality.

One group complains, expects hand-outs, demands money help and more once it gets it.

The other 2 work get educations in marketable skills like , MBA, Medical Doctor, Engineering, the other may go to school and will more than likely study humanities, philosophy, sociology,

The average Asian student isn't smarter than black or white, they study on average 2 to 4 times more per day.

6 of the top ivy league universities in the USA restrict Asian (this includes Indian) students because otherwise their student body would be 40% Asian (USA population is around 3% Asian) so they promote Black students with lower scores who by the universities own stats end up in humanities,etc...

Let me make that clear, these Ivy League schools are not blocking white people, not blocking black (they are promoting black) but are blocking Asians and the black politicians in the USA including members of Biden's administration are not only fine with this policy they promote it.

So why can the very dark skin Tamil succeed but not the black/African American? Could it be the community and not racism?

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Black people, who have been mistreated for centuries, have never been financially compensated (reparations).

No one, or their parents, or grandparents or great-grandparents in the US was a slave. The 1960's were two generations ago. There is nothing stopping anyone in the US from thriving and succeeding. What's stopping you?

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Mocheake:

"He was adopted by white people and showered with love and affection. He could have grown up to be a savage like a lot of them." Responses like yours just further prove my point.

I said nothing of the sort. It's a disgraceful and insulting comment.

wallace:

Easy to see you are white without the daily racism and discrimination.

I don't know or care what race you or anyone is.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

RKL

Jews are not a separate race.

> Except that it is, no matter what anti-semites argue otherwise.

Anti-Semitic is a hatred of Jews. Where is my hatred? Where is your evidence proving Jews are a separate race?

Being Jewish is a religion, not a race. Anyone can become a Jew. You can't become another race.

Many Jews would disagree with you.

" But setting aside the emotional issues, Jews are clearly not a race.

Race is a genetic distinction, and refers to people with shared ancestry and shared genetic traits. You can't change your race; it's in your DNA. I could never become black or Asian no matter how much I might want to.

Common ancestry is not required to be a Jew. Many Jews worldwide share common ancestry, as shown by genetic research; however, you can be a Jew without sharing this common ancestry, for example, by converting. Thus, although I could never become black or Asian, blacks and Asians have become Jews (Sammy Davis Jr. and Connie Chung). "

https://www.jewfaq.org/what_is_judaism

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Peter NeilToday 12:21 pm JST

Colin Kaepernick? The one born to a white mother and unknown father who was adopted at 5 weeks old by a white couple who raised and supported him throughout his life and who he now says they were racists? he thinks everything and everyone is racist. He's made a career out of being a victim. He's had no barriers.

So, he's keeping himself out of the NFL, then? Right. You know that he got proper support and treatment because you were there and his account means nothing, right? "He was adopted by white people and showered with love and affection. He could have grown up to be a savage like a lot of them." Responses like yours just further prove my point.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

No racial barriers? You have to be kidding! Talk to Brian Flores and Colin Kaepernick, just to name two high-profile people who would disagree with you.

Let's see making millions then did a political movement on company ( team/game ) time got fired.

Did get a job so claimed it was because was black, blah blah blah.

Kaepernick was not forced to take a knee he chose to, and paid the price.

Unlike Ivan Provorov who they are trying to force to do something he opposes and is being attacked for it.

Kaepernick chose to cause political problems for himself.

I notice no one is trying to force basketball football and baseball to forcibly include Asian players.

Again funny when they are the majority they don't want change.

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

AntiquesavingToday 09:49 am JST

, I always heard white people saying they were Irish, Greek, Italian, etc,

> I think people are confused.

> I'm the USA as far as I can tell no census category for Irish, Greek, et... They lump them all together in the same way they lump Africa, Asia etc..

I think you are confused as I was not referring to the census. I posted that that is the way people referred to themselves, and I heard it daily, all the way from elementary school to the office. They created their own category based on their ethnicity so why can't others do the same? The census is a whole different issue. As for Obama, he won the election and that allowed some people to feel proud that they voted for a black man, as if that was supposed to mean something. Nowhere did I hear he wasn't black enough from anyone around me. Then came all the garbage about "Post-racial" America. I read several different publications every day and a few of them have the most vile and hateful comments you could possibly read, especially toward people with darker skin, regardless of whether they were even involved in what took place.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

wallaceToday  08:43 am JST

Always easy to see those who are white. Whites don't usually suffer racism or discrimination in their daily lives.

"Some Jewish people believe their identity should be seen as its own ethnic category and not only a religion. "

Jews are not a separate race.

Except that it is, no matter what anti-semites argue otherwise.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Colin Kaepernick? The one born to a white mother and unknown father who was adopted at 5 weeks old by a white couple who raised and supported him throughout his life and who he now says they were racists? he thinks everything and everyone is racist. He's made a career out of being a victim. He's had no barriers.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

For the purposes of creating an indefinite lower class, the US and other nations that consider themselves a majority Caucasian country have used race as an excuse to discriminate and enslave others particularly Black people in the form of laws (police), religion (European/US-based Christianity), and violence (white riots and war). It did not matter if it was European aristocracy trying to replace the working classes and serfs who fled the country, or those same poor people fleeing to the new world to make their fortune to be the new royals and to have their own servants.

Are my kids Japanese-American, multiracial? Are the electricians I hired recently African Americans given they were from South Africa (but White)? What do I classify my neighbors from Argentina originally, white Hispanic? These are burning questions that no one should give a #$+& about.

Let it go, not many really give a farthing about this except the people that make a living of it.

I always hear these same points from people who are usually not a member of any of the groups primarily being targeted by racists.

Especially people living in Japan claiming they have experienced all that racism has to offer and brushed it off because they still live there. The prejudice in Japan is mostly nationalistic and applies to all foreigners even though Japanese prejudice has a hierarchy based on stereotypes of different countries from the media. In addition, Japan is one of the few countries where you can live comfortably in a complete bubble (Gaijin Ghettos) if they so choose. Actually, many Japanese people usually prefer it that way. It does not matter if it is Chinatown, Koreatown, Nepal, India, Brazil, Roppongi, Hiroo, or the US military bases. You do not really see these groups struggling.

So, the people claiming to have conquered real racism in Japan is full of it!

Also, the problem with that logic is the targets of racism are not encouraging racist behavior. The racists are the ones targeting these marginalized groups in the form of laws, religion, unethical practices, and violence. It not the victims that need to change. Some may argue that is victim blaming.

African Americans did non violent protesting during the civil rights movements. They were arrested, beaten, attacked with dogs, and killed. For some, all 3 happened to them. Before that, the government infected African American with veneral diseases, sterilized them and conducted experiments on them without their knowing or against their will. In addition, the general Caucasian public could burn them, hang them or drown them whenever they wanted with support of the local government.

When African Americans try to build thriving communities with the help of the local governments they were always destroyed, burned or worse.After the civil rights movement, their communities were flooded with drugs to stunt their progress. Then use laws and the police to incarcerate an usually large percentage to decimate their economies and the family unit.

For those that feel if POC are not grateful then they should return to where they came. Most probably would have after slavery, but the enslavers purposely forced these people lose their language, their culture, and their education, so they would have no home to return. It is no different than certain religions will not allow women to go to school, go out alone, or have friends. The reason for all these heinous acts is in the first sentence of this post.

Why do governments and few want to remove race and ethnicity? If people do not mention it then it does not exist. It will not be taught in school, and people cannot be sued or arrested for committing crimes due to racism. It makes easier to commit it if people's awareness is dull. It also also muddies the waters for the new reparations movement.

Every other group from the Jews, Native Americans, the Japanese and few others have been financially compensated for their mistreatment. Black people, who have been mistreated for centuries, have never been financially compensated (reparations). People do not want to because of the continued racist views and because the bill is too high in their minds.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

> Peter NeilToday 10:16 am JST

Why care what the government asks about heritage? It serves no purpose, in my opinion.

> wallaceToday 08:43 am JST

> Always easy to see those who are white. Whites don't usually suffer racism or discrimination in their daily lives.

> The article is about the US, and there are no racial barriers in the US today

No racial barriers? You have to be kidding! Talk to Brian Flores and Colin Kaepernick, just to name two high-profile people who would disagree with you.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

It is hilarious people here asking others living in Japan about not seeing race , colour etc..

Most of use don't see colour or race, only complainers whiny people and extreme racists.

Take a guess why we're probably married to someone who's a different ethnicity or color and why we're in Japan?

I didn't look at my wife and go oh look Japanese!

I'll marry her because she's Japanese!

I noticed the only people who really care about ethnicity and colour are the people who are obsessed with their own ethnicity and colour!

It wasn't my "white family" that had any problem with my marrying my first wife who is Japanese, it was the Japanese side.

My brother's fiance broke off their engagement and marriage because her Jamaican parents were the ones who objected to her marrying a white guy not my family.

I've seen this over and over again the idea that some of these ethnic groups would mix their blood appalls them more than it appalls any white person I've ever met.

Remember when Obama was running he wasn't black enough.

Suddenly he wins and he's the first black American president funny how that changed suddenly.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

Strangerland

That is true, and often discriminatory. However, that doesn't tell the whole picture; the descendants of slaves have no idea what country their ancestors came from, for obvious reasons, and therefore aren't able to identify by the lands of their ancestors, other than 'Africa', which is I would guess is why they identify as African Americans.

That isn't completely true. With genetic DNA testing, people are able to tell what region their ancestors came from, which a friend of mine did a few years back. Also, oral traditions and histories were passed down and there are records in archives of slave ship arrivals, etc, so many had ideas about the lands of their ancestors. Alex Haley, the author of the book, "Roots," was able to trace his lineage all the way back by doing that.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Blacklabel

Just be yourself as an individual and none of this nonsense matters.

Unless you are confronted daily with racism and discrimination.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Just be yourself as an individual and none of this nonsense matters.

Ohhh, are you one of those who are colorblind and don't see color?

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Why care what the government asks about heritage? It serves no purpose, in my opinion.

wallaceToday  08:43 am JST

Always easy to see those who are white. Whites don't usually suffer racism or discrimination in their daily lives.

The article is about the US, and there are no racial barriers in the US today, except for racial barriers now for Asians, Whites and SE Asian in education as some universities are limiting acceptance.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

Just be yourself as an individual and none of this nonsense matters.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

Are my kids Japanese-American, multiracial? Are the electricians I hired recently African Americans given they were from South Africa (but White)? What do I classify my neighbors from Argentina originally, white Hispanic? These are burning questions that no one should give a #$+& about.

Let it go, not many really give a farthing about this except the people that make a living of it.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

, I always heard white people saying they were Irish, Greek, Italian, etc,

I think people are confused.

I'm the USA as far as I can tell no census category for Irish, Greek, et... They lump them all together in the same way they lump Africa, Asia etc..

For race, the OMB standards identify five minimum categories:

White

Black or African American

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

The following groups are used in the diversity calculations:

> Hispanic

White alone, non-Hispanic

Black or African American alone, non-Hispanic

American Indian and Alaska Native alone, non-Hispanic

Asian alone, non-Hispanic

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, non-Hispanic

Some Other Race alone, non-Hispanic

Multiracial, non-Hispanic

So saying they are Irish American means nothing in the eyes of the official government paperwork.

Honestly their is about as much in common with an American if Norwegian heritage and an American of Albanian heritage both are in theory white but that is about it, the same thing applies to a Japanese American and a Malaysian American both Asian but the similarities end there.

But only the Asian, Black etc..are complaining or making a big deal about it.

The same goes from collective guilt they try pushing, why should a white person from the former regions of the Russian Empire feel responsible or guilty about black slavery, their ancestors were probably serfs had no right were as good as owned by the Royals/aristocrats, etc...

This victimization is getting out of hand.

In my teens we had 3 major immigration arrivals, Vietnamese boat people, Lebanese fleeing the civil war, and Haitians fleeing the then papa and baby Doc dictatorships.

Guess which complained and which got to work doing anything they could to move up in society.

My former Vietnamese classmates hadn't been to a real school in as long as 5 years, but all are successful today, my Lebanese classmates, same thing education businesses etc...

And don't think they had it easy discrimination was an every day occurrence for both these groups.

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

Many white Americans further identify themselves by ethnic groups. East European American. Polish American. Italian American. Irish American.

It was the whites who first used the black label.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

I was not born in the U.S. but when I got there, I always heard white people saying they were Irish, Greek, Italian, etc, identifying by the ethnic group of their choice.

Not by choice - in a multicultural country like the US, people identify by the countries from which their ancestors emigrated.

if you had any black ancestors, however far back, you were automatically labeled as black whether you thought you were or not.

That is true, and often discriminatory. However, that doesn't tell the whole picture; the descendants of slaves have no idea what country their ancestors came from, for obvious reasons, and therefore aren't able to identify by the lands of their ancestors, other than 'Africa', which is I would guess is why they identify as African Americans.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

People complaining ought to know a few things about it: This has been going on in the U.S. for a long time and it was not created by minorities. I was not born in the U.S. but when I got there, I always heard white people saying they were Irish, Greek, Italian, etc, identifying by the ethnic group of their choice. However, if you had any black ancestors, however far back, you were automatically labeled as black whether you thought you were or not. That was a way of saying you were below whites and not equal. Native Americans have always identified by tribes, not by what Europeans felt they should be called. Why should anyone be forced into a category they do not feel they belong in? When people meet for the first time, it's natural for your brain to assume this person is in a certain group based on what you see or have seen but it can be highly stereotypical so when it happens to me, I correct the person and explain the reason if they wish to know. The U.S. is a nation of many peoples. I'm an American, yes, but also other things too. My heritage is very important to me.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Doesn't seem too difficult to me. Seems he just did it himself.

I think he's referring to government documents. Do they offer both south asian and east asian as options?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Always easy to see those who are white. Whites don't usually suffer racism or discrimination in their daily lives.

"Some Jewish people believe their identity should be seen as its own ethnic category and not only a religion. "

Jews are not a separate race.

"OMB requires five minimum categories (White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander) for race. OMB permits the Census Bureau to also use a sixth category - Some Other Race. Respondents may report more than one race."

The missing group is Hispanics.

At the end of the day, they are all Americans.

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

Then the first time anyone asks where they are from ( like state, province,etc..) they get upset and say something like " I was born here I am American Canadian etc.." but 2 seconds later they are calling themselves African American/Canadian, Asian American/Canadian etc...

Then we get the mixes, where do we categories them?

I am "white" but what white? I don't go around saying I am White, I don't go around saying I am French because I am from French speaking Canada, I don't say I am a white Irish or Scottish because the other side of my family comes from those places, no I am Canadian as my passport says.

But then what about my children they are partially ethnic Japanese what subcategories should they be in?

You want to see what all this mess leads to?

Go to statistics Canada, look up demographics.

Try figuring out the data even the top experts can't.

Why?

Because people can choose multiple categories at the same time.

So add up the numbers on any subject related to gender, ethnicity, even nationality and you will always be over 100% in some cases 150% or more.

So you can choose to identify as "Canadian" only, or as Canadian and east Asian (so you are now counted twice), you can choose Canadian, Francophone and North African ( mow counted 3 times, Gender the same you can just pick whatever you want and if it isn't there write in what you "identify" as.

Now try allocating resources based on "self indentation" if the city has 500 actual biological females but 100 identify as non binary, 500 biological males but 200 identify as non binary, the government allocating things like medical resources that are gender specific like pap testing, mammogram and prostate exams, etc.. will have severe problems.

The same when trying to address actual problems in certain ethnic communities like the first Nations.

This is getting ridiculous.

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

How about people just get on with getting along and quit creating divisiveness that only perpetuates Balkanization of societies? It’s common threads, common ideals that advance a society.

Quit identifying as anything but a living human being. You already won the DNA lottery. You could have been an insect.

3 ( +11 / -8 )

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