Ethnicity Survey -- White????

Gee! Looky here, a survey using the term "White". They must be a bunch of racists.

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Racists? No, I see no evidence of that.

Should questionnaires like this one "think outside the box" (no pun intended) and not categorize people? Probably.

Should discrimination and prejudice end? Yes.

 

IT'S AN ETHNICITY SURVEY! What should they ask about, your weight or what you had for breakfast? How in the world could you even determine if there was discrimination if you didn't know ethnicity?

 

This whole diatribe on whether calling someone "white" or "black" or whatever, as an indication of being racist is silly to me. On a side note I always check "other" on the census forms and (if available) write in "human"... though I once almost put "meat puppet", just for fun.

 

Perhaps it's time we stopped asking what a person's ethnicity is.

 

Becaaaaaaaaause, then we get to ignore discrimination completely? When we finally live a a society free from discrimination, surveys will not remind us that we still do.

 

You can try to justify discrimination any way you want, but it's not going to fly. If you want to advocate an Ethics Survey, I suppose that's one way of doing it or you could simply just have everyone wear an armband designating their heritage. Or their religion. Or their sexuality.

 

Isn't discrimination really more justified and hidden by ignoring it and is that your real objection to surveys like this? The answer your mind is searching for but almost assuredly ignoring is "Yes". I'm not advocating any justification of discrimination by any stretch of the imagination. You are attempting a rather obvious and poorly articulated fallacious argument that falsely has me advocating for draconian measures that I nor anyone else here would ever suggest.
The fact is that surveys such as this one are tools often used to determine if discrimination exists not further it. If you weren't so busy trying to be contrary to anything and everything anyone you disagree with says, you wouldn't have to twist and turn a point so badly that you just sound absurd.

 

I prefer IQLess's response to these types of questionnaires by just writing in "human". That's what we all are, right (well, I sometimes have my doubts about you, but that's another story)? I don't believe it's anyone's business what my (or anyone else's) ethnicity is and I think it just gives them grounds to discriminate should it be revealed. You seem to be hung up on this "black" or "white" thing. Get over it and wise up. The time has come for those with your mindset to move on with your prejudices. Do away with ethnicity questionnaires I say. What use are they, really?

 

Agree.
They have no business to ask in the first place. A person should be judged by who they are not what they are and the who is what we should be looking at not the what. Just dividing up into the what is racist from my viewpoint.

 

What I find most fascinating about this survey is it implies that the most important thing they want to know is whether the applicant is Hispanic/Latino.

 

Honestly, who cares what we call it. I think people frequently give WAY too much weight, meaning and power to words. If you're a person, you should control language -- not the other way around.

 

LOL... I think it's where that particular page started. I'm guessing there were many many pages before and after this.

 

I find it interesting that when I participate in surveys I keep on first being asked if I am Hispanic/Latino and then only later if I am anything else... I wonder at this.
I typically just check the box I they want me to check when I am asked but frankly
I really dislike being called "white" as if I am piece of Webber's Wonder bread without the crust.
I have never seen a person with white skin. It is of varying colors but is not "white".
I have never seen a person with "black" skin either... only colors that range from a light cocoa brown color to the color of dark chocolate.
And don't get me started on the word "Caucasian" ...
I wish that the surveys just had the "European American" or even better, a check box of the the different nations that people could come from not just in Europe but in the world... That would be indeed interesting to see... Of course that list might have to be update periodically but it would make people more aware that they are part of the world community instead of being like we Americans often are, unaware of what is going on outside the States.

 

It's good to see that you're not seeing it as a "black and white" issue. Personally, I don't think these surveys or questionnaires should have questions pertaining to ethnicity. How about we just call ourselves "Terrans" and let it go at that? No ethnicity involved in that, no minorities to pick out of a crowd, no discrimination, no prejudice and no racial bias.

 

T

There are two ways of looking at this I think... Either homogenize and blend everything together so that every one is the same or, the way I suggested, celebrate every difference and then appreciate the totality that is composed of the many parts...
It is perhaps like comparing cheese fondue with a savory stew... Both are good.
I am an Earthling. You are a Terran. "You say Tomato. I say tomahto"

 

One doesn't have to have discrimination or racism in mind when one asks about ethnicity if one is doing it by country... It then is curiousity and I hope it will be appreciation for this glorious place that contains all of us and for all of the unique pathways that we all travelled to come here.

 

Yeah, but as far as "race/ethnicity," that seems to be the most important question. Doesn't the U.S. Census even start that way now?

Also, I dabbled a little in paid surveys (not worth it) and sometimes it would start with the question, "Are you Hispanic/Latino?" and if you said "no," it would immediately end the survey with a statement like "Thank you anyway!"

 

That is the demographic that is increasing the most rapidly and, in some places, is the most plentiful. So for marketing type surveys, and employment surveys, in particular, it can certainly end up being the most important question or, as you found out, the only question that even needs to be asked.

 

Thanks for the info, it's (race/etnicity questions) something I usually ignore since it's junk and doesn't mean much to me. As I said earlier, I look for the "other" box and put "human"... I hate checking "white" or "caucasian". The great equalizer is that sex between these "races" is occuring more and more often and could conceivably make those types of questions obsolete someday.