There is nothing to stop you adding your own category & box. Watch the census people go into melt down. simply add a box for 'other'!! I remember years ago on a form like that when they asked about where you lived, you could have with parents - extended family, renting or purchasing (mortgage) , I added a box, 'own home' They got upset and asked me to tick one of their boxes, I said I couldnt as it would be providing false information & that was against the law. They left me alone after that.

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Plenty of humor/off topic stuff here but no real answer to a serious question. Seems no one either wants to touch this, or there is not an answer.

i think the answer is to not take the "race' thing very seriously. again, i may decide that we are two races, those with widows' peaks, and those without. makes about as much sense.

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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

It obviously makes sense to those folks that wish to continue programs that stand to gain from "race" status questions.
If a grant or business can only go to members of a minority- then what is stopping a white person from saying they are black- or asian? How does one prove they are black or asian or pacific islander or any other "race"?

Why does the census ask for race? Funding for minorities is the biggest part of that answer.

i agree, somewhat. i think also the justification is for reasons of research, to study the patterns of "race" in society. anyway, i am not supporting the whole thing, just offering an alternative explanation.

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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

Anybody know of that PLESSY v. FERGUSON trial? @_@ Yeah...

I am sorry, MTU, I have no answer for you. I will say that I believe that everyone can choose whatever race they believe they are...as long as they actually are some percentage of that race.

What I mean is, if someone is part Irish, part Polish, and part French, they can't go and say they are Chinese. But they CAN say they are Irish. Or they say Polish. Or they say French. That's my view.

But I agree with LUVMBDiesels, that race should just be 'human'

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I might be 1/16 american Indian (native american) but we can't be sure because my grandfather's mother was an orphan....but she was really dark complected.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

We should celebrate the fact that race has evolved into a lesser issue in our country than it was a mere 50 years ago. The social change that has occured since, while some see as painfully slow, is incredible when compared with the history of racial conflict before it. The current generation of Americans live in a much more diverse, culturally mixed society and there's no indication that's going to change.

The answer to the question is that it is up to the individual to classify himself as he wishes. If Obama says he's black, well, he's black.

So if there is a grant from the gov for minorities only then anyone can apply by just call themselves a minority. I like this- because then everyone is black, everyone is white, everyone is everything, and no one can prove otherwise. Using your system people are what they want to be- really then there is no race. I hope one day everyone will think like you and I! We can now stop giving money to folks because they are this "race" or that "race" because race is what each individual classifies themselves as!

"Race" is quickly replacing "patriotism" as the last refuge for scoundrels.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

I can glean from some of the statements on this thread that quite a few of you think that if you are anything mixed with white, then you can't be "white" That in itself is at best a race centric point of view, which infers intonations of racial superiority. We are all homo sapiens. How we look and what "color" we are is derived from where on the globe our ancestors lived and interbred. No race but one, color is irrelevant.

You are the one that seems to be assuming that if a person has any Caucasian blood at all, he should be identifying himself as "white".

Just a thought here.

Wouldn’t it be great if everyone would just start reproducing with everyone else, regardless of what color they are?

That way, eventually everyone would just be sort of a gray color, we could drop this whole "race" issue and start hating people for who they are and not what they are.

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !

Well that's been going on for quite some time now- and we are already all gray. I believe people that think in racial terms are backward and stuck, and as time passes the idea of race will die. Not sure I think I can start hating folks for who they are- not ready for that yet, lol.