>>   I don't really get it. Does having *one* of your parents black make
>> you also black? Why is it ok to say he is black, but it would sound
>> strange to call him white? Is white ancestry "less hereditary" than
>> black one?
>
> In this country it is, yah.
>
> "Black" was defined legally as having at least one "black" 
> great-grandparent. (I.e., 1/8th black was "black".)
>

Why should there even be a legal definition of "black" in this day and age?

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Halbert wrote:
> Why should there even be a legal definition of "black" in this day and age?

I don't believe there is. But "this day and age" is surprisingly recent 
in the USA.

I'm not sure why everyone would be required to ask your race, either, if 
the reason they're asking is they're not allowed to make any decisions 
based on it (such as employers).  Even to the point that if you refuse 
to say, the employer is required to look at you and guess your "race".

-- 
   Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
     "That's pretty. Where's that?"
          "It's the Age of Channelwood."
     "We should go there on vacation some time."

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Warp wrote:
>   (Btw, is "white balance filter" a racist term? ;) )

No, but a black jump filter is.

-- 
   Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
     "That's pretty. Where's that?"
          "It's the Age of Channelwood."
     "We should go there on vacation some time."

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Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
> I'm not sure why everyone would be required to ask your race, either

  Sometimes your appearances may be crucial for certain jobs, and it
doesn't necessarily have anything to do with racism. A film role would
be a prominent example.

-- 
                                                          - Warp

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Warp wrote:
> Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
>> I'm not sure why everyone would be required to ask your race, either
> 
>   Sometimes your appearances may be crucial for certain jobs, and it
> doesn't necessarily have anything to do with racism. A film role would
> be a prominent example.

Yes, but in the USA, you're not allowed to discriminate based on race 
for employment. (Where "discriminate" is taken to mean "discriminate for 
no good reason." Certainly you can distinguish between appropriate 
actors.)

For example, you're not allowed to ask someone their race during a job 
interview. But you're required to report on their race if you hire them.

In addition, the law says employers must report how many of each gender 
and race they've hired, supposedly so they can be punished if they *are* 
discriminating.  And the census asks your race (altho you can put down 
anything you feel like.) Apparently "Jedi knight" is a rather popular 
write-in religion on the census, for example.

You're also not supposed to discriminate based on religion, *plus* you 
don't have to try to guess someone's religion.

I'm just saying it's a screwy system, and while I understand the 
motivation, I think it sends the wrong signals to the new culture 
growing up, which is really the only way to get rid of discrimination.

-- 
   Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
     "That's pretty. Where's that?"
          "It's the Age of Channelwood."
     "We should go there on vacation some time."

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My father worked in a administrative role in county government when I was 
growing up. After the 1980 census, the state contacted his office to inquire 
what programs they had spearheaded to help the minorities in our county. In 
the county where I grew up, the only signifigant minorities were all 
preofessionals, doctors, college professors and the like. I forgot how this 
issue was dealt with, but one can see how even well meaning buearocrats can 
misinterpret this type of data.

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