db4690: “Race” has become one of the most commonly misused words in our language. The number of boxes to check will eventually have a page 2. A young female soldier in my flight operations section was born in South Africa. As a child she immigrated to the U.S. with her parents who became U.S. citizens. At the age of 18 she was able to become a full U.S. citizen. She had applied for college admission and asked if I could explain something that confused her. When faced with the many race/ethnicity boxes she had checked African American. The person interviewing her threw a fit because a blue eyed blond had checked that box. I briefly explained affirmative action had resulted in ignorant people creating the boxes. I told her that nearly everyone checking that box had never visited Africa much less been born there and that she was one of only a few actual African Americans.
Yep, good point. Bet she had a British accent too. This whole thing has gotten nuts and grown well beyond the original intent that no one can remember anymore.
Bing: Whenever my “African American” soldier spoke to me she did it standing at parade rest ending everything she said with “Sergeant” in a very British accent.
My daughter has a friend who is a very nice person who is shall I say "unaware’ about many things. If she accurately checked one of the little boxes, it would be white or Caucasian.
As family responsibilities waxed and waned she moved in and out of the job market but usually found a job easily in a school or other local government agency.
Her son was watching her fill out an application and asked her why she had checked native American and she replied " What do you mean, I was born right here "
I’ve got a friend from Egypt that is pretty brown but is classified as Caucasian. Like I said the whole thing is nuts.
Mike is right on the money about differing quotes for different neighborhoods. I used to live in a very affluent township but my address was a lower-cost, middle income city. I always used that city when contractors asked. The lower quotes were always those that thought I was in the city rather than the township. Same for my mom’s house. They charge what they think you will pay.
As for the boxes marked “Race”, you can choose whatever you want. The reviewer is not allowed to ask you your race nor refuse your entry.
I had a visit to a dental surgeon in Malaysia some years back. The nurse had me fill out the registration form which had a box for “Race”. I filled in “Formula 1”, and when the dentist asked why, I told him it was “my favorite kind of race”, and in my country it was illegal to ask such a question.
He seemed satisfied with that answer.
The term “Caucasian” refers to the Caucasus region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Notices to this region have a dark complexion. Caucasians include Europeans,Arabs, and all South Asians from the Mediterranian Sea through India. Clearly, skin color isn’t what makes puts someone in the broad group “Caucasian” just as there are wide skin color variations in the group called “Negro”. It’s just melanin.
I’m not saying they don’t quote what they think they can get but a contractor told me once that a lower income person was more likely to pay from a loan but a higher income person was more likely to pay from cash. So the person that was trying to pay with cash was often slower to pay as he saved up the money than the person that just got a loan and had the money on hand to pay. Slower pay means higher costs to carry the guy until he finally pays.
At work, a lot of people clearly can’t make up their mind just “what” I am
Some people think I must be such and such, based on the country I was born in
some people think I must be such and such, based on my appearance, or because they think I look just like they do
Some people think I must be such and such, based on my name
One time, I was mentioning that I was such and such, and a longtime colleague said “Wait a minute. You’re not such and such”
I just smiled at him and said “I’m afraid so. You never asked, and I saw no reason to bring it up.”
what does a name tell you . . . not much in some cases
what country you were born in doesn’t dictate your “race” either
Even your skin color can be misinterpreted in several different ways
as I said, I usually check the box marked “other” . . . I’ve yet to be questioned on it :trollface:
I would love to see only 2 “race” boxes to choose from. Human. Other.
So if I check off both boxes, that means I’m a “hybrid” 
That puts me in good company, with the Prius, Fusion Hybrid, and those awful GM 42V hybrid trucks 
“I would love to see only 2 “race” boxes to choose from. Human. Other.”
Actually, you’d just need “Human” because… even the “Other” group is entering the gray area…
… I see TV commercials for dog food or some damn thing have started to refer to their target audience not as pet owners anymore, but rather as pet parents! Gag me.
CSA
As far as I’m concerned I’d like to just see dead or alive. All this race information collection is simply to continue the race identity, racism, and reverse-racism. There’s a lot of money in it from grants, books, lectures,
db4690: Or a cyborg. But then every time you walked away you would be required to state “All be Bock”.
common sense answer: That is what I was actually thinking about. I have seen pets assuming the parent role and controlling their “owner’s” lives. PETA: “Animals are people”! Our Gubment: “Corporations are people”!
Bing: Bingo! (pun intended) Also to relieve “our” guilt for all those poor people “we” discriminated against and move them to the front of the line.