Back when America was awesome, black people were called “Negroes.” Sure, the title may have implied that black people were a separate sub-human species, but everyone was cool with that until the ACLU or ACORNS probably filed a lawsuit against it and America and the troops. Time for a comeback! And look, it’s on the 2010 Census form as an option, right next to “black” and “African-American.” Will “Person 1″ be forced to write in, “ALL OF THE ABOVE?”
Although it would be monstrously absurd for anyone to take offense at some comical old-timey word’s inclusion on a friggin Census form, we do enjoy the Census spokesman’s face-saving rationale:
Question No. 9 on this year’s census form asks about race, with one of the answers listed as “black, African-Am. or Negro.”
Census Bureau spokesman Jack Martin said the use of “Negro” was intended as a term of inclusion.
“Many older African-Americans identified themselves that way, and many still do,” he said. “Those who identify themselves as Negroes need to be included.”
Ha ha ha. Elderly Negroes may not actually know that the modern world now refers to them as “black” and/or “African-American.” The softened terminology people come up with these days! Might as well call ‘em Irish.
Really, what’s much more confusing is the racial option below it: “American Indian or Alaska Native.” You think the likes of the Palin family will be able to decode that second part? Maybe “Native American Alaskan” or “Alaskan Indian” or “Whatever Mexican Thingy They Have In Alaska” would work better.
Use of word Negro on 2010 census forms raises memories of Jim Crow [NYDN]
{ 138 comments }
We should support the Census. The Census will tell us how deep our negro problem is. And until we have adequate information, there’s really nothing to be done about it.
The census is just trying to butter up the wingnuts so as not to get shot.
Even worse, African American is abbrv’ed as African Am while American Indian is spelled out. So it’s not 3/5 but 1/4?
Of course, the census forms distributed down South will have the “roon” subcategory checkboxes: quadroon, octoroon, dodecahedroon, samboon, etc.
Today we are all Whatever Mexican Thingies They Have In Alaska.
What about Afro-American?! Many not-so-older-but-still-kinda-oldish from the 60s identified themselves that way and many still do! Afro-Americans or Americans With Afros need to be included!
It means “black” in Spanish, its intended for Afro descendants of Spanish speaking countries to mark their true race. We are not Hispanics, nor Latinos, those are not races. Also, we Indigenous peoples who speak Spanish will have the chance to mark such. Get educated, no?
What, they couldn’t include “colored”?
Under Mexicans, does the Census list “beaners”?
How about Southern-Americans? Can they select “cracker” or the more acceptable “cracker-American”?
Well, my neighbors in Philly kept calling me “nigger” when I was a child. What the hell am I supposed to identify myself as?
Soul Brother?
I’m offended that the line for Caucasians does not say “White, honkey, or cracker”
Where is the “Coloured” ticky box?
[re=489970]Dolmance[/re]: I heard that the president is a “negro”, so I think we know the extent of the problem.
So uninconclusive. Where’s Ofay? Or Wigger?
Are you a Peckerwood or a Mustard Seed?
What about Spooks? Moolies? Donnie Darkos? Jiggaboos? Spades? Coloreds? AfroYos? These are all offensive terms too, some of which are topical and/or made up? MORE LIKE THE US SENSELESS!!!!!!!11!!!!1!!!!!!!!11!!!
[re=489982]rambone[/re]: One of the victorious proletariat.
I have some problem with the ordering of the racial identifiers. Unlike most other forms, this is not in alphabetical order, which begs the question what does the “ranking” mean???
It’ll appease the Southerners who will be pissed that people are asked to check one OR MORE boxes; they see it as an endorsement of the activist judges’ Loving v. Virgina and anyway believe in the one-drop rule.
The comments at the Daily News are quite progressive:
njcorruptstate
12:59:24 PM
Jan 6, 2010
*******, negro or black, any of the 3 definitely beats spear chucker, jig or the other n word. I don’t see the problem. I’ll never call them African-American, the main reason being it takes way too long to say it. black is the best name I think.
Yes, because the other n-word is more offensive than spear chucker or jig. New York truly is the melting pot Bloomberg always talks about…
And why not “White, Caucasian” for the old timey resonance? After all, most white folk are more of a tannish, pinkish, beige color. Amiright?
Back when I was an uppity cracker, I had an Afro. I was never beaten for this, though I probably should have been.
[re=489994]Gopherit[/re]: HAHAHA SPEAR CHUCKER? Has anyone actually used this before? Because it’s a winner.
[re=489997]Rosie Scenario[/re]: What I want to know is, do they have “Jew/Jewess” on those forms yet, or do I have to twist myself into knots over whether to check “White” or “Middle-Eastern”?
[re=489979]CarlosQC[/re]: Latino accomodation was my first guess, but then why does the “white” line only contain one word, in English, if Latinos of different ethnicities are offered same-language options?
Where’s the part where you get to choose from Wop, Guinea, Eye-Tie, Ginzo, or the generic, rather than specific, “Tony?”
Where’s the Holstein/Bovine box????
They forgot about Children of Cain.
[re=490000]Jim Newell[/re]: I realize “MASH-teh Movie” was before your time, and all…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_recurring_characters_in_M*A*S*H#Spearchucker_Jones
[re=490000]Jim Newell[/re]: yeah because guns are so much more civilized :’(
[re=490000]Jim Newell[/re]: It’s usage has been on the decline due to the fact it has more than two syllables.
WTF if it is meant as a way to encourage black Hispanics to identify themselves then come out and say it, but this bullshit argument that older black people love the word is, well… just Bullshit. I had all but rationalize that the word was included as to the benefits of black Mexicans( All Spanish Speaking PEOPLES are MEXICANS, therefore by the transitive property of crazy, if you’ve ever uttered a word in Spanish you become Mexican)The word is antiquated in the English-Speaking world and to explain its recent inclusion with that bold-face lie that smacks even worse than the word itself in its most demeaning connotation is quite an achievement. That guy needs to be kicked in the balls.
What are the Cablasians supposed to check? Another insult for Tiger.
When I went to fill out my citizenship forms, one of the questions they asked was ‘Are you a habitual drunk?’ Since I was hammered at the time, I don’t remembered what I answered.
[re=490000]Jim Newell[/re]: Oh yes, Jim, it was very much standard fare in Mass. when I was growing up and based on the very slow anti-racist evolutionary trajectory back there, I’m sure it still is.
[re=490005]dum librul[/re]: because Latinos who are white [or want to be white] will check white no matter what… did you Puerto Ricans say they are 80% white? When most of them are mixed with Blacks. Self loathing racism among “Latinos” is so strong, they love to think we are all Hispanics, but we are not, holla.
[re=490000]Jim Newell[/re]: Oh yes, I have heard the term used in non-ironical fashion. Also such terms for young “negroes” as “porch monkey” and “nappyhead.” I have also been called a “yaller-haired hippie thang,” and a “damn yankee.”
[re=490006]Prommie[/re]: You forgot Dago…minus 2 points.
Where’s the Uppity Check Box?
It’s sad to see otherwise intelligent Wonketeers taken in by the Daily News’ always awful premises. I wasn’t familiar with the preference explained by Carlos QC above, but I know that a significant number of African American old folks are not comfortable with “black,” which was a very derogatory term to some about 60 years ago. The polite term in the 1950′s and early 1960′s was “Negro,” and many of the leaders of civil rights movement used it. Back then the nastier term was “colored,” which was used by the George Wallace crew. As the great Tampa Red often noted during his songs, everybody’s colored (even us pink people). Ironically, the term “people of color” is offered by non-profiteers today with great moral pomposity. Moral of story: if you find yourself agreeing with anything put forward by the NY Daily News, sit, breathe from the stomach, and wait for it to pass. It’s the newspaper of What Rupert Really Thinks.
[re=490011]imissopus[/re]: But does not “jiggerboo” also have 3 syllables? And “pickaninny?”
I have seen things you cannot imagine, watched planets exploding on the far side of Aldeberan, and have heard the racist jargon of the true South direct from the mouths of natives.
I just noticed: Where’s the box for macaca?
I HATE RACISM and therefore hate the census. THANKS UNCLE RUPE FOR CLEARING THAT UP!
[re=490017]CarlosQC[/re]: That’s a bit of a stretch. I know self loathing exists in varying quantities in Latin American countries, but that doesn’t mean the census is going to be geared towards negating it. Plus, what would seeing the word for “black” in Spanish do to assuage self loathing dark skinned Latinos? We also have the cited explanation from the Census Bureau spokesman, which does not at all mention anything about accomodation for Spanish speakers.
I’m gonna go with the most likely scenario, which would be that of an out-of-touch government producing an out-of-touch census.
[re=490019]user-of-owls[/re]: Don’t forget Guido, especially in these days of “Jersey Shore”.
where’s “honest injun”?
[re=489979]CarlosQC[/re]: OMG, please, as though your explanation even comes CLOSE to settling an issue as complicated a race identity.
[re=490017]CarlosQC[/re]: Look Carlos, you are making an obvious point that the term “Hispanic” has no biological meaning whatsoever and by implication, its correlary, that ethnic self-designation in Latin America is especially fluid. But you are also so full of shit that your eyes are brown when you suggest that because “Negro” literally translates to “Black” it would be the natural choice for Afro-Latinos. That is just grade A baloney. Within Latin America, the accepatable term for one with African heritage is Afro-Latino, or country specifics like Afro-Colombiano. Negro in Spanish has the same connotation..negative..that it does in English. So, get educated, no?
Honestly, I’m more sad that there isn’t an entry for “Injun” on that next line down. What are these American Indians or Alaska Native things? I’m confused!
Hypothetical (since she won’t be filling one out) but what would M. Bachmann check? Batshit loon?
the Census should just use a bunch of paint samples. “Pick which one is closest to you.”
They prefer to be called “darkies”.
[re=490032]mumblyjoe[/re]: Plus the subcategories of “honest” and “dishonest” if that option is selected. And then how are we supposed to even believe the answers anyway?! There goes Obama again, playing thirty-six dimensional chess with his paradoxical census forms.
[re=490000]Jim Newell[/re]: it was the pejorative of choice for black people back when I was in elementary school in the 60′s… that and jungle bunny.
Perhaps negro is just listed for The Olds. Then again, I’m black and my grandma has even managed to update her lingo to “Black”, so I’m sure she could identify which box she’s supposed to check. Also, why isn’t the mythical “Niggar” listed?
Never mind teh Blacks, the African-Ams., the Negros, the Census People have really gone out of their way to offend teh Hermaphrodites, teh Intersexed, teh Gynandromorphs, teh Androgynes, and teh Epicenes.
On one of the forms (the long one form, I might point out), it insists that you check only one box for sex, and offers only two options: male or female.
I demand to know why it doesn’t include a third box with all designation for people lucky enough to have all or ambiguous sexual organs and/or traits.
Sure, some of my best friends are gynandromorphs, but, as someone with a dearth of male phenotypical junk, I wouldn’t presume to speak for people with different phenotypical junk.
Where is the outrage for the epicenes among us? I mean, think of poor Mann Coulter. What will s/he check on the Census form?
Transsexual Americans were reduced to “Trans Ams” in the What Is Person 1′s Bent Gender category.
and the Lizard People slip through the cracks again.
[re=490031]user-of-owls[/re]: Not so much, being negro has been always ‘offensive’ in racist Latin Americans, but today’s generations of Blacks in the region are taking pride on their ‘negritud’. There are more Blacks in Latin America than in the U.S. [over 160 million people] and many Spanish speaking immigrants in the U.S. and their US born children have African roots as well. Somewhere I heard that Sonia Sotomayor is ‘Blacker’ than Clarence Thomas.
Anyways, Negro has another connotation in the English language, because it was the word British slavers heard from Hispanic slave sellers to refer to Black men, period. Someone thought Negro was a synonymous of slave. Now, the N word is a different story, that’s a pure racist insult created by… you guessed right.
Where’s the American box?
I’m asian, cock-asian that is.
[re=490037]dum librul[/re]: They should at least have a box below where you can check “One Of The Good Ones, Though”
Also I want check boxes for showing what some of my best friends are
Put me down as “cracker” please.
So theirs African Am but not Am/Fm? And how about if your AC/DC? Whats there problem up at the countin’ house?
signed, Funkin’ Wagnalls
[re=489997]Rosie Scenario[/re]: Yeah, I don’t consider myself “White” – I’ll accept Caucasian, so if the purpose for including “Negro” is inclusiveness and familiarity to some older form-cillers, why has Caucasian not been included.
[re=490018]Prommie[/re]: When I lived in South Carolina, an employee at the Bi-Lo was carrying my groceries out to the car for me, and when he saw my CT tags he stopped short, looked at me in surprise and said, “Why, you’re nothin’ but an ol’ Yankee!” and then quickly added, “I didn’t mean nothing bad by that,” very apologetically.
I laughed, and assured him I wasn’t offended. He was a very sweet older man, but he didn’t mean anything good by calling me a Yankee either, although I didn’t take it personally at all.
[re=490034]Hallux Valgus[/re]: After reading through all of this, I name thee winner.
[re=490044]CarlosQC[/re]: Again, very valid point about a movement by (especially younger) Afro-Latinoamericanos to re-appropriate their identity…BUT…we are talking about, A) official governmental forms, which tend to be largely uninformed by post-modern cultural identity critique; and B) THE UNITED STATES!
Really the only thing I’m taking issue with is the fairly preposterous idea that Negro was including by the US Census Bureau for the reasons you suggested.
Also, my ramblings are both unfunny and boring. *autoflagellation*…and NO, I don’t get off on that, so it really is punishment
Shia, Sunni, or Sufi?
Native of Niger? Nigerian? Niggard? Niggler?
[re=490034]Hallux Valgus[/re]: And win.
[re=490042]bitchincamaro[/re]: As an Automotive-American, I’d have thought you would have been pleased by the inclusion of Trans-Am as a category.
[re=490046]Gunner[/re]: From what I’ve heard having an Asian cock is really nothing to brag about.
[re=490001]AxmxZ[/re]: Some of the most well-connected people of the upper-class would rather use the term “Hebes.”
When my brother, who’s married to an Irish-Catholic woman, gave his daughter a traditionally Irish girl’s name, his boss, a very wealthy, very well-connected man of the very upper class, called him a “social-climbing Hebe.” And not in a good way.
My father said if someone calls you a Hebe, that person really hates Jews. It was the first time I had ever heard the word “Hebe.”
People are from Nigeria are Nigerians and people from Niger are Nigeriens. It’s true! But generally anyone with dark skin is a Niggar to illiterate teabaggers.
The most hilarious derogatory word for white people I’ve heard was from some German girls I knew several years ago who were Japanese and Iranian…
They said in Germany and Europe, non-whites use the term “potato” for white people.
I was laughing for a long time about that. Racism is only funny because the jackass saying racist things is the butt of the joke.
[re=490061]slithytoves[/re]: Won’t work for those with freckles, which means Morgan Freeman and I are screwed.
I was at a coffee shop on Monday and two guys were arguing about this very same thing. I tuned most of it out until I heard this: “..and this is why they never had episodes about the Census on Star Trek”.
I am offended that you used the word “Ir_sh” to refer to Leprechaun-Americans.
[re=490082]WIDTAP[/re]: No problem. We can just include textured samples.
SO, what I get out of this is that these terms mean absolutely nothing. The census should stop perpetuating their use.
I guess I’m just a Brotherhood of Man kinda guy.
How are we supposed to know who to send to the internment camps if people don’t fill out their forms? Huh?
I use Black. It makes a logical, and inoffensive, differentiation from White. I don’t like the term African-American because then how do you refer to a black person who is not an American.
I don’t give a crap about any of this, so long as the Census differentiates between the Yellow Asians and the underachieving Brown Asians.
I normally use black. But for census purposes, I was be using “sista” and indicating I am “still here”.
[re=490096]gurukalehuru[/re]: African-African?
What do they do on Pandora?
[re=490096]gurukalehuru[/re]: You call them Mr President.
[re=490031]user-of-owls[/re]: So, get educated, no?
Needs more upside-down question marks. Also, thank you for making the points that I am loo lazy to make today.
African-Am, I-yam
Where are the check boxes for: Gentry Irish (Noonan, Quinn) or Just-Off-The-Boat Mick (sadly, I’m the latter). Also: Old $$$ WASP, New $$$ WASP, Polack, Guido, Injun: Honest/Dishonest. There were many more opportunities to antagonize people that were sadly missed here.
[re=490096]gurukalehuru[/re]:
the local elementary school had an “African-American parents group” until some African parents requested that the name be changed to “African/African-American parents group.”
Oh, the patriarchy… endless discussions about race, some about gender, and yet no one suggests “Negress.”
How thoughtless.
[re=490069]Katydid[/re]: You’re going to laugh, but ‘hebe’ is what me and all my friends call each other. It’s our ‘n’-word. Also available in form of ‘heeby’, as in “You just think he’s hot because he looks so heeby.”
[re=490113]BlueStateLibtard[/re]: What about No $$$ WASP, the Great American Plurality?
“It’s good shit. I got it from a Negro.”
If Spalding in Caddyshack used it a mere 30 years ago, then it’s good enough for the Census. And if it irks you, you’ll get nothing (from the government) and like it!
It doesn’t have asshole either. Whatever box will Cheney and the Rush-bo ticky-tack?
what i don’t get is howcome they abbreviated african american as “african am.” i mean, there’s room on the form. dudes, if you really want clarity, spell it the fuck out.
[re=490069]Katydid[/re]: Sounds like my lovely cousin Caitlin.
[re=490078]TheCoolestGuyInTown[/re]: Today, we are all potatoes. Why potato? Not that I don’t love it…
Am I really the only one here old enough to remember this?
http://www.hulu.com/watch/1477/saturday-night-live-word-association#s-p1-st-i0
[re=489974]Judas Peckerwood[/re]: Judas, Here’s an odd fact. There are thousands of illegal Mexicans in the Aleutian Islands turning Pollock into fake crab for the Japanese. Lets hope the Palins don’t find out.
[re=490034]Hallux Valgus[/re]: Win.
Is there a category for “breadfruit / Uncle Tom”?
[re=489997]Rosie Scenario[/re]: Well yes. But should’nt we try to differentiate among the shades of white? Start with “a white shade of pale”, then swine pink, redneck (washed or unwashed) etc.
[re=490103]proudgrampa[/re]: Blue.
All these checkboxes are too confusing. Who needs all those choices? Just have “Master Race” and “Non-master Race” and be done with it.
No check-off for “A few peas short of a casserole”. Bachmann will be very disappointed.
Where’s Blatino?
[re=490034]Hallux Valgus[/re]: Win! Unfortunately, If the baggers and palinites have their way, the 2020 census will have to be all pictorial, like the cash register at McDonalds, so it can be conducted by the totally illiterate. In fact, I’m going to start working on that now. Thanks for the idea.
[re=490018]Prommie[/re]:
See, it was always just “Faggot” for me.
Are you an AfriCAN or an AfriCAN’T, that’s the real question.
As an Unemployed-Am. who has filled out online application forms beyond number in the past 8.5 months this is kind of a raw nerve for me. My favorite duh-what? is “Caucasian.” As far as I know, none of my ancestral tree sprang from the Caucasus region. On the other hand, “White” don’t cut it either, since I’m really more of a pinkish-tinged cardboard color with some seasonal variation. What’s a poor cracker to do?
I’m actually grateful when the form allows me to check more than one box off, so at least I can acknowledge my “aboriginal American” forebears who were not above copping a little whitey on the side. (I actually have a fairly involve essay on this topic, for which common decency forbids me including the link here.)
What we actually need is a box that says “American Mongrel.” Although the paint-chip idea proffered above has real merit. But on the topic of muscular racial verbal slights, whatever happened to dinge and spade?
Is there a write-in option?
[re=490192]BeWoot[/re]: What’s your point, jack?
[re=490192]BeWoot[/re]: [re=490058]Cy_Guy[/re]: Caucasian is a term from the old racial categorization system, abandoned because it’s fucking racist and based on discredited science like craniometry. The reason it’s named that is because Blumenbach thought Georgians were the most beautiful people in the world and thus obviously the root stock of all crackers everywhere, since we have such nice beards and nipples.
There are subtypes of Caucasian, too! Nordic, Alpine, Mediterranean, Iranian, Dravidian, etc. They’re also all part of a lot of racist bullshit, because Nordics are the most awesome and all of the rest are less awesome, but still better than non-Caucasians!
Oh, and the other Blumenbach races are Mongolian, Malayan, Negroid, and American. All of these are more or less racist bullshit, too.
So “Caucasian” is a worthless fucking term that nobody should use, and nobody with a degree who isn’t writing for VDARE really uses it anymore, either. “European” works for the (incredibly broad) ethnic category, and “White” is what the sociologists say you are if you can be a Republican anyone listens to.
How come there’s no check box for “Real American”? Wake up, Obama is ruining my country!
[re=489985]Spike[/re]: [re=490137]MzNicky[/re]: Perhaps the census form needs to include a checkbox for “dead honkey,” and all this fuss will be over with quickly.
[re=490215]BlueStateLibtard[/re]: or half-breed muslin for that matter?
[re=490131]weejee[/re]: As a full-blooded American asshole, I am insulted that you would associate Chainee or Limbo with our kind. Also, our older folks prefer the term “dirt chute”.
Wait, so are the gheys just supposed to mark “Mexican” or what?
Or are they the new Black now that Negro is back in fashion?
Putting people into stereotyped boxes is so hard, sometimes.
But what if your grandmother was Dutch? What then?
Please let “Jersey Shore” be an option too. Just for laughs.
[re=489979]CarlosQC[/re]: Yo, Carlos! Define a “true” race for me, please? Our Wonkette seems to have a better historical perspective (see ref. to Irish). Race, historically, has included Jewish, Spanish, Italian, German, Hindu, Armenian, Ismaili, Gypsy, and, yes, Hispanic. Oh, and black in Spanish is negra, no?
[re=490001]AxmxZ[/re]: Read John Tehranian’s “Whitewashed” and be prepared to be more perplexed.
[re=490209]Fuck Toad[/re]: You know, my Mom, Dad, and I were talking about this over Satan-mass. He maintained that these terms applied today for research purposes. He’s usually always right (damn you, Dad!) when it comes to arcana, so any opportunity to stick it to him on trivia is relished. I argued your point and feel good being vindicated. I was laughing the entire time imagining a presentation where some Phd student kept using the terms “Negroid” and “Caucasoid” and the committee just sitting there slack-jawed.
Shouldn’t “Irish” be a seperate box?
Check one: MIck, Dago, Jap, Chink, Wop, Polack, Kike, Jigaboo, Red, or Caucasian.
Just when it was starting to be safe to use the word “niggardly” again.
there appears to be a chinese menu for those of asian descent. could be one for ‘negroes’ too like swahili, ubangi, kenyan, moroccan, or other.
I thought we had all agreed on “Jungle Bunny,” or “Muslim” in polite society.
[re=490328]leaveskoalrebelalone[/re]: Subtype “Celestials”…Bokgwailoli COCKSUCKA!
[re=490301]sezme[/re]: Don’t forget “Po’ White Trash”, meaning mostly Scotch/Irish/English breeding but ain’t nobody too sure…
[re=490333]Lionel Hutz Esq.[/re]: In all seriousness, where is the box for “half breed muslin?”
What about Mongoloid?
The statement that Alaska Natives are stupid is extremely racist. You should be ashamed.
Fuck it. I’m writing “Jedi”.
[re=489982]rambone[/re]: If your neighbors were white, then you may also check white. Sellout.
Michael Steele Calls Himself ‘Honest Injun’ |
[re=490083]TheUptightMidwesterner[/re]: Reminds me of a rather unsubtle joke heard recently:
Q. Why are there no [insert group] in Star Trek?
A. Because it’s set in the future.
Where are the NAZIs when you need them?
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