Should we drop race from the census

[NobleSavage]

What creative mixes can you come up with? Should we be doing this?

 

[Axulus]

What creative mixes can you come up with? Should we be doing this?

View attachment 1954

What's the argument for dropping it? I don't see anything wrong with tracking it for data collection purposes.

 

[NobleSavage]

Just going by what I remember "mixed race" is growing the fastest. At some point it's going to be stupid. I'm not comfortable with the government keeping tabs on race, anyhow.

 

[Jolly_Penguin]

I dont have a huge issue with the mere collection of data. I do balk at the question being asked on applications of any kind.

 

[EricK]

I wouldn't want the data falling into the hands of an institutionally racist government.

 

[Davka]

Yes, let's stop collecting any data whatsoever about race. That way we can pretend there are no racially-linked socioeconomic inequalities; no racially-linked disproportionate prison sentences for two people of different races who commit the same crime; no racial profiling by police; and no school funding inequalities between majority black, majority hispanic, and majority white schools.

No data? No problems!

 

[EricK]

Yes, let's stop collecting any data whatsoever about race. That way we can pretend there are no racially-linked socioeconomic inequalities; no racially-linked disproportionate prison sentences for two people of different races who commit the same crime; no racial profiling by police; and no school funding inequalities between majority black, majority hispanic, and majority white schools.

No data? No problems!

But don't you believe the US ruling classes are institutionally racist? Why would you want them to have this data which allows them to eg fund schools unequally based on race?

 

[Davka]

Yes, let's stop collecting any data whatsoever about race. That way we can pretend there are no racially-linked socioeconomic inequalities; no racially-linked disproportionate prison sentences for two people of different races who commit the same crime; no racial profiling by police; and no school funding inequalities between majority black, majority hispanic, and majority white schools.

No data? No problems!

But don't you believe the US ruling classes are institutionally racist? Why would you want them to have this data which allows them to eg fund schools unequally based on race?

You clearly don't understand what institutional racism is. I suggest you do some googling and read up on it.

 

[EricK]

But don't you believe the US ruling classes are institutionally racist? Why would you want them to have this data which allows them to eg fund schools unequally based on race?

You clearly don't understand what institutional racism is. I suggest you do some googling and read up on it.

Even if that is the case, and I am using the term incorrectly, why do you want the people who are providing unequal levels of funding to schools based on race, to have data on race?

 

[KeepTalking]

You clearly don't understand what institutional racism is. I suggest you do some googling and read up on it.

Even if that is the case, and I am using the term incorrectly, why do you want the people who are providing unequal levels of funding to schools based on race, to have data on race?

Evidence that the US is determining funding for schools based solely upon race, please.

 

[EricK]

Even if that is the case, and I am using the term incorrectly, why do you want the people who are providing unequal levels of funding to schools based on race, to have data on race?

Evidence that the US is determining funding for schools based solely upon race, please.

It wasn't my claim, I was just using one of the examples from Davka's post. Presumably he does think there are funding differences which depend on the majority race of the student body.

 

[KeepTalking]

Evidence that the US is determining funding for schools based solely upon race, please.

It wasn't my claim, I was just using one of the examples from Davka's post. Presumably he does think there are funding differences which depend on the majority race of the student body.

But Davka's post refers to census data being used to insure that no schools are unequally funded due to race. Your response shows that, as noted by Davka, you clearly do not understand his post.

 

[EricK]

It wasn't my claim, I was just using one of the examples from Davka's post. Presumably he does think there are funding differences which depend on the majority race of the student body.

But Davka's post refers to census data being used to insure that no schools are unequally funded due to race. Your response shows that, as noted by Davka, you clearly do not understand his post.

But my point is that can schools can only get unequal funding due to race if the people doing the funding are aware of the races involved. This is why it is potentially dangerous to allow this data to be collected.

Davka's faith in the benevolence of the current and future US governments is touching. But's it's not at all clear to me that any potential good that might get done as a result of collecting this data will counterbalance the massive harm that could be done with it. My father was born in Germany a few years before Hitler got into power, and although my grandfather was arrested by the Nazis, the family did manage to escape and get to South Africa - a few years before apartheid was introduced. My father and grandmother then managed to get to England (my grandfather had died in the interim) where they lived the rest of their lives. So forgive me if you think me over-cautious about this sort of thing.

 

[Valjean]

Davka's trying to point out that inequalities cannot be remedied if they remain invisible.

 

[KeepTalking]

But Davka's post refers to census data being used to insure that no schools are unequally funded due to race. Your response shows that, as noted by Davka, you clearly do not understand his post.

But my point is that can schools can only get unequal funding due to race if the people doing the funding are aware of the races involved. This is why it is potentially dangerous to allow this data to be collected.

The locals do not need census data to know which schools in their area are located in areas populated primarily by minorities, so they can make funding decisions to marginalize those schools without it. Removing race from census data only serves to hide that information from those who are farther removed from the locality. Continuing to collect the data will provide transparency for those far removed from the locality, who can then say, "Hey, what's with these racist shitbags in Fuckwit, Tejas who are using school funding allocations to keep minorities in their districts uneducated?"

Davka's faith in the benevolence of the current and future US governments is touching. But's it's not at all clear to me that any potential good that might get done as a result of collecting this data will counterbalance the massive harm that could be done with it. My father was born in Germany a few years before Hitler got into power, and although my grandfather was arrested by the Nazis, the family did manage to escape and get to South Africa - a few years before apartheid was introduced. My father and grandmother then managed to get to England (my grandfather had died in the interim) where they lived the rest of their lives. So forgive me if you think me over-cautious about this sort of thing.

Two pages to Godwin, well played, sir.