Decennial Census Deemed Offensive and Outdated
President Barack Obama Completing the Decennial Census
The United States Census Bureau administered its Decennial Census of the population. Recently, CNN News highlighted controversy regarding the 2010 Census Short Form. Americans voiced concerns about item nine, which questioned about respondent’s race. Americans were especially troubled by the answer choice “Black, African American, or Negro”.
Americans raised numerous questions about the item on race. Is the inclusion of the term “Negro” offensive? Is the term outdated? According to the Census Bureau, research indicated that a segment of the population currently self-identifies as “Negro”. Nevertheless, the Census Bureau acknowledged that the term is considered offensive and outdated by many Americans. As a result, the Census Bureau is considering removing the term from future surveys.
Additionally, Americans pondered whether the Census Bureau should eliminate the item on race. In the CNN News video below, Christian Lander emphasized the importance of including the item on race: “To say something like ‘I don’t see color’ is ridiculous. That’s like saying you don’t recognize that this person has a heritage: that this person has a different experience.”
The reproduction of racial inequality occurs in the normal operation of society. Although people might not intend to contribute to racial inequality, they might unintentionally perpetuate racial inequality by residing in racially segregated neighborhoods or sending children to racially segregated schools. Even though racial categories are socially constructed, the emergence of racial categories has actual consequences. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge the existence of racial categories, thereby avoiding color-blind racism.
“Identity Questions Cause Stir” on CNN News
“In this day and age, why is the word ‘Negro’ included as part of the race question on the 2010 Census form?” By United States Census Bureau
“Conceptualizing a Critical Race Theory in Sociology” By Tara J. Yosso and Daniel G. Solórzano
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Recently, I found the 2010 Census form hanging on my door. As I began filling it out, I came across a dilemma. The U.S. government wants to know if my children are adopted or not and it wants to know what our races are. Being adopted myself, I had to put “Other” and “Don’t Know Adopted” for my race and “Other” and “Don’t Know” for my kids’ races.
Can you imagine not knowing your ethnicity, your race? Now imagine walking into a vital records office and asking the clerk for your original birth certificate only to be told “No, you can’t have it, it’s sealed.”
How about being presented with a “family history form” to fill out at every single doctor’s office visit and having to put “N/A Adopted” where life saving information should be?
Imagine being asked what your nationality is and having to respond with “I don’t know”.
It is time that the archaic practice of sealing and altering birth certificates of adopted persons stops.
Adoption is a 5 billion dollar, unregulated industry that profits from the sale and redistribution of children. It turns children into chattel who are re-labeled and sold as “blank slates”.
Genealogy, a modern-day fascination, cannot be enjoyed by adopted persons with sealed identities. Family trees are exclusive to the non-adopted persons in our society.
If adoption is truly to return to what is best for a child, then the rights of children to their biological identities should NEVER be violated. Every single judge that finalizes an adoption and orders a child’s birth certificate to be sealed should be ashamed of him/herself.
I challenge all readers: Ask the adopted persons that you know if their original birth certificates are sealed.
I agree with Mara so, so much. My grandmother used to raise children in foster-care programs and a lot of them still don’t know who their parents are, ad the parents don’t even give a damn.
I’ve never been able to figure anything out with genealogy, either – my true racial identity was sealed by history.