Is It Time To Remove Race From The Census??

SharpshooterTom · 01-01-2012 12:39PM #1

Does anyone now think it's time to remove race from the census and all government documents??

I think we should. I mean come on, it's been argued that we will all become mixed race eventually, probably within 100 years or so in countries like Britain.

The terms white, black, asian, mixed race etc are very archaic. There is no such thing as race, it should be omitted from society completely. I don't recognise mixed race people as mixed race simply because the human race is already one to begin with, so IMO, there are no mixed race people.

Like I say the world is becoming beige shortly and race is dying out anyway. Is it time we removed all these racial labels??

Balfie · 01-01-2012 12:41PM

no, I like to see who's fastest in my family..

kincsem · 01-01-2012 12:43PM

Gnobe wrote: »

I mean come on,

That wins any argument ...

flutterflye · 01-01-2012 12:44PM

We are all mixed race if you go back a few generations (8 or 16, or something like that, I don't remember)
Did it in psychology, although I don't remember the facts anymore.

No, I don't see why we would remove it tbh.

dxhound2005 · 01-01-2012 12:47PM

Gnobe wrote: »

Does anyone now think it's time to remove race from the census and all government documents??

I think we should. I mean come on, it's been argued that we will all become mixed race eventually, probably within 100 years or so in countries like Britain.

The terms white, black, asian, mixed race etc are very archaic. There is no such thing as race, it should be omitted from society completely. I don't recognise mixed race people as mixed race simply because the human race is already one to begin with, so IMO, there are no mixed race people.

Like I say the world is becoming beige shortly and race is dying out anyway. Is it time we removed all these racial labels??

Every other country records these statictics. Why shouldn't we?

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ei.html

El Weirdo · 01-01-2012 12:50PM

Gnobe wrote: »

Does anyone now think it's time to remove race from the census and all government documents??

I think we should. I mean come on, it's been argued that we will all become mixed race eventually, probably within 100 years or so in countries like Britain.

The terms white, black, asian, mixed race etc are very archaic. There is no such thing as race, it should be omitted from society completely. I don't recognise mixed race people as mixed race simply because the human race is already one to begin with, so IMO, there are no mixed race people.

Like I say the world is becoming beige shortly and race is dying out anyway. Is it time we removed all these racial labels??

If you really believe that, I think you should go back and edit your OP and omit all of the labels you used.

Go on.

Kevin Duffy · 01-01-2012 12:51PM

Then people would rightly complain that their various origins weren't being considered and recognised. People have a right to have that recorded if they want to, besides the actual usefulness of the information.

Maybe what needs to change is the mindset that recognising people's differences is seen as a negative thing.

SharpshooterTom · 01-01-2012 12:58PM

flutterflye wrote: »

We are all mixed race if you go back a few generations (8 or 16, or something like that, I don't remember)
Did it in psychology, although I don't remember the facts anymore.

No, I don't see why we would remove it tbh.

So your basically saying it's ok to ask whether people are white or black on census forms? Even though we're all mixed race anyway?

Thanks for proving my point about how silly it is then.

So like I say it's a stupid concept, very archaic and completely outdated. It just makes us a very race conscious society.

Mike 1972 · 01-01-2012 12:59PM

Ive generally refuse to answer (or give meaninglessly vauge answers to) questions about race and religion particularly on documents issued by the government.

Its none of their damn business.

juan.kerr · 01-01-2012 01:05PM

OP, you may consider yourself mixed race but I don't consider myself to be and I don't plan to become mixed race in the near future.

SharpshooterTom · 01-01-2012 01:07PM

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Every other country records these statictics. Why shouldn't we?

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ei.html

They don't in most european countries. Infact collecting information on race is completely banned in France, nobody knows exactly how many black people there are, or muslims etc.

juan.kerr · 01-01-2012 01:12PM

Gnobe wrote: »

They don't in most european countries. Infact collecting information on race is completely banned in France, nobody knows exactly how many black people there are, or muslims etc.

And you probably think that's a good thing.

So called 'Integration' has failed in europe, why do we persist in claiming otherwise?

dxhound2005 · 01-01-2012 01:12PM

Gnobe wrote: »

They don't in most european countries. Infact collecting information on race is completely banned in France, nobody knows exactly how many black people there are, or muslims etc.

If you live in Omagh you needn't concern yourself with what people in the Republic of Ireland are asked on our census form. And people in the Republic shouldn't worry about what you are being asked for in the UK census.

SharpshooterTom · 01-01-2012 01:18PM

dxhound2005 wrote: »

If you live in Omagh you needn't concern yourself with what people in the Republic of Ireland are asked on our census form. And people in the Republic shouldn't worry about what you are being asked for in the UK census.

So does it bother you that France, Holland, Scandinavia etc don't record race then? I think it's a pretty good idea.

I lived in Monaghan till last year.

Freddie59 · 01-01-2012 01:18PM

dxhound2005 wrote: »

If you live in Omagh you needn't concern yourself with what people in the Republic of Ireland are asked on our census form. And people in the Republic shouldn't worry about what you are being asked for in the UK census.

And your point is.......?

keith16 · 01-01-2012 01:19PM

Gnobe wrote: »

Does anyone now think it's time to remove race from the census and all government documents??

I think we should. I mean come on, it's been argued that we will all become mixed race eventually, probably within 100 years or so in countries like Britain.

The terms white, black, asian, mixed race etc are very archaic. There is no such thing as race, it should be omitted from society completely. I don't recognise mixed race people as mixed race simply because the human race is already one to begin with, so IMO, there are no mixed race people.

Like I say the world is becoming beige shortly and race is dying out anyway. Is it time we removed all these racial labels??

It's been argued by who?

Countries like Britain? So we should adopt policy here in Ireland right now based on something that's been argued will probably happen in 100 years?

Where is the evidence for the world becoming 'beige'? Is this not a label in itself?

Your post is bewildering on so many levels, with the bolded parts a complete contradiction.

Race is a fact of life, but you suggest we just ignore it on the basis of the world probably becoming 'beige'. What does beige even mean? Can you describe what a beige person look like?

Why are the words used to describe race 'outdated'?

juan.kerr · 01-01-2012 01:28PM

keith16 wrote: »

Can you describe what a beige person look like?

Some shade of ... eh... beige? Usual crap from PC brigade.

SharpshooterTom · 01-01-2012 01:34PM

keith16 wrote: »

Your post is bewildering on so many levels, with the bolded parts a complete contradiction.

I have to use it the basis that everyone else uses it, but I rather I didn't of course. So yes I recognise I'm a hypocrite but believe that we need to remove racial labels in the context of society to help live a less race conscious society IMO. I would prefer the whole world to be like that.

If the human race is supposed to be 'one' like everyone says it is then why do we need them? I just hear this phrase "there is no white race, no black race, just the human race". So therefore aren't these race labels all meaningless??

dxhound2005 · 01-01-2012 01:40PM

Gnobe wrote: »

They don't in most european countries. Infact collecting information on race is completely banned in France, nobody knows exactly how many black people there are, or muslims etc.

How is Muslim relevant to your argument? You didn't mention religion in your orignal post.

keith16 · 01-01-2012 01:45PM

Gnobe wrote: »

I have to use it the basis that everyone else uses it, but I rather I didn't of course. So yes I recognise I'm a hypocrite but believe that we need to remove racial labels in the context of society to help live a less race conscious society IMO. I would prefer the whole world to be like that.

If the human race is supposed to be 'one' like everyone says it is then why do we need them? I just hear this phrase "there is no white race, no black race, just the human race". So therefore aren't these race labels all meaningless??

If you want to effect change in society, it's best you change how you say things and attempt to influence others to change their thinking / behaviour. Not 'I have to use these terms cos everyone else does'.

The fact is that there is a human race but there will always be distinct ethnic groups and sub-groups. e.g. Caucasian - European - Slavic.

It's wrong to suggest these terms are 'stupid', it would be like saying, all the animals should be recognised as one and we shouldn't label them with terms describing distinct species. The world is an incredibly diverse place and terms like these exist because they are useful in describing that diversity.

SharpshooterTom · 01-01-2012 01:46PM

dxhound2005 wrote: »

How is Muslim relevant to your argument? You didn't mention religion in your orignal post.

No but its relevant to France who I mentioned earlier. In addition to race they don't record religion either, something else which is also a good idea.

Honest opinion · 01-01-2012 01:47PM

Gnobe wrote: »

Does anyone now think it's time to remove race from the census and all government documents??

I think we should. I mean come on, it's been argued that we will all become mixed race eventually, probably within 100 years or so in countries like Britain.

The terms white, black, asian, mixed race etc are very archaic. There is no such thing as race, it should be omitted from society completely. I don't recognise mixed race people as mixed race simply because the human race is already one to begin with, so IMO, there are no mixed race people.

Like I say the world is becoming beige shortly and race is dying out anyway. Is it time we removed all these racial labels??

Yeah you must realy know Britain well everyone sort of a lovely peachy color and everyone integrates lovely theres no seperate communities at all

Also the world is going beige????? are YOU HIGH?

Micky Dolenz · 01-01-2012 01:49PM

I agree.

Who needs to know race. The census form should come with a colour chart. Tick the box of the colour you are most like.

gsxr1 · 01-01-2012 01:50PM

Remove it everywhere except Naas.
The council likes to keep an eye on the black lads around there.

Turtyturd · 01-01-2012 01:53PM

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

I agree.

Who needs to know race. The census form should come with a colour chart. Tick the box of the colour you are most like.

Just imagine the Adrian Kennedy phone show in the weeks after the Census..."me burd held the colour chart yoke up to the little rugrat and her colour didn' match mine...she can' be mine Adrian."

Anyway...we should swap the race question with an income question...I wanna know how much other people make.

Mike 1972 · 01-01-2012 01:55PM

Not sure why we even still have a census in this day and age given all the info therein is stuff the government either should know already (through Tax, Social Welfare etc records) or is none of their damn business.

Ive often doubted the assurances regarding confidentiality too although Ive been tempted to put it to the test by giving "drug dealer" for my occupation.

And this 100 year rule is a load of bolix. Nobody should have their personal details published while theyre still alive.

Gnobe wrote: »

No but its relevant to France who I mentioned earlier. In addition to race they don't record religion either, something else which is also a good idea.

I suspect that in some EU mainland countries certain historical events might have impressed on people why having centeralised individual records of the racial and/or religious background of the population might not be a terribly good idea ?

Faith+1 · 01-01-2012 02:03PM

Oh no a future of Goobacks

imitation · 01-01-2012 02:12PM

I think the information is generally useful to have, the whole point of the census is to get information to see what demands there might be. There is also the fact the information will prove to be very useful historically to trace population changes.

Ellis Dee · 01-01-2012 02:13PM

One of the first things that was drilled into my head when I studied anthropology at uni was that there is actually only one human race.:)

If the purpose of the census is to compile information that will assist in the planning of infrastructure and services, I fail to see what people's skin colour has to do with anything.

In fact, I wonder do we need a census at all. Many of the more efficiently governed countries in Europe haven't had censuses for decades. Instead, statistical compilation is an ongoing, almost real-time activity, and government planners have much better and more up-to-date figures at their disposal than is the case in Ireland.:)

St.Spodo · 01-01-2012 02:19PM

British people won't be ''mixed'' in 100 years. 92% of the population is white. Nor will Irish people. Your utopian fantasy is a long, long way away, OP.

SharpshooterTom · 01-01-2012 02:31PM

St.Spodo wrote: »

British people won't be ''mixed'' in 100 years. 92% of the population is white. Nor will Irish people. Your utopian fantasy is a long, long way away, OP.

That was the 2001 census, 10 years ago. There's been a much more liberal immigration policy implemented since. Its predicted to be around 88% this time.

Couple of things to point out, 22% of primary schoolchildren in England are not white. Ethnic minorities have bigger birth rates than white Brits (around a quarter of all babies born in the UK at the moment are ethnic minorities). So clearly demographics are changing within Europe and I think everyone knows this. UK is expected to be a minority-majority state by 2066, as will other european countries by then.

But that's not the point, the point is do we need actually record this crap anymore?? That's my point which I think needs addressing as I say we will all become what the definitions call 'mixed race' eventually some point this century.

Is It Time To Remove Race From The Census??

Is It Time To Remove Race From The Census?? 24 votes

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