elegant response to question #9 on the census form.
It also puts a harmless, but pointed rhetorical thumb in the eye of those who still seek to divide us over trivialities we have no control over anyway.
1
And how is it that they plan to divide "us"? Last I check, the census is completely confidential and won't be released to anyone. So, unless they start telling everyone...I honestly don't see the harm in doing the census. Am I missing something here? (Obviously, I am)
Posted by: Valfunde at Sat Mar 20 19:10:53 2010 (GmMlN)
2
The totals are published.
Posted by: Steven Den Beste at Sun Mar 21 12:20:07 2010 (+rSRq)
3
And because of that, it helps only the minorities, I suppose? If you're like Glenn Beck that is. I don't see why people are getting upset over such trivial questions. I still fail to see how it divides anything and I really doubt that the census would be used as any form of oppression. Only problem I see is that it's an invasion of privacy, but race and gender and all that has been asked since 1790, has it not? I can't help but feel that that this is simply a response to out current administration led by a Democratic president. No one complained during the '00 census, or rather not one as vocal as now. :/
I realize that you (Steven) or Muppet may not want to answer this little comment since, well, talking politics gets tedious and tiring, so don't if you wish not to. Tis whatever.
And oh, sorry about what happened to your trailer, Muppet...though I'm a few weeks late. Good luck to you.
Posted by: Valfunde at Sun Mar 21 15:54:04 2010 (GmMlN)
4
I think you misunderstand the point. As a Supreme Court Justice said recently, the way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.
If we really want a post-racial nation, then the way to get there is to stop obsessing on what race every person is. To declare on the census that you are "American" is a way of protesting the apparent official obsession with classifying everyone according to their national origin. If enough people do it, the government will eventually get the message.
Posted by: Steven Den Beste at Sun Mar 21 17:00:19 2010 (+rSRq)
5
Well, I suppose I could use the government's reason for doing all this, but it probably won't matter up to this point.
It's clear the American people answered the question and haven't thought much of it afterwards. It seems only the people going ape over this are exactly those who are obsessed with the issue of race.
I don't know. I guess my "beef" (LOL) with Muppet's post is misplaced and is aimed at something entirely different. I get the reasoning, but I just think it's just too trivial to be taken seriously. People are nuts about race? Putting American in won't offset that. Something else needs to be done. Something that has a much bigger impact. Change people first, government later.
This is probably going to go nowhere. I've probably gone off tangent. And I probably shouldn't have stayed up late. Sorry for wasting your time. Adieu.
(I feel odd typing this since I find myself leaning right and holding Libertarian beliefs, which can go both ways of course. :S)
Posted by: Valfunde at Sun Mar 21 18:34:14 2010 (GmMlN)
6
The census is constitutionally mandated. Compliance is actually a civic responsibility of all Americans.
However, I think its long past time that we not be dividing or categorizing ourselves by the most trivial of differences...race.
i support filling out the census but I think this is a nice jesture.
As for the idea that we need to "change people"...that has historically led to very dark places, places that have little in common with the American right or libertarianism.
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at Tue Mar 23 21:18:06 2010 (rwhG8)
7
Haha, I guess should have elaborated on the "changing" people part. By no means do I mean by force or anything of that nature. I suppose through education or something along those lines where no will is forced to adhere to anything they wish not to.
Posted by: Valfunde at Fri Mar 26 19:23:24 2010 (GmMlN)
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