Why is there no Brown or Hispanic Race on the U.S. Census?

[Darkwing65]

So after filling out the U.S. Census something did not sit right, the Questions on Race and ethnicity. And here is my Rant.

What did you put?

Question 8 asks:...

Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?
- No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin
- Yes, Mexican, Mexican Am., Chicano
- Yes, Puerto Rican
- Yes, Cuban
- Yes, another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish Origin (Write in)

I marked Chicano for this question.

Question 9 Asks:

What is Person 1's race? Mark one or more boxes.
- White
- Black, African Am., Negro
- American Indian or Alaska Native (Indicate Tribe)
- Asian Indian
- Chinese
- Filipino
- Japanese
- Korean
- Vietnamese
- Native Hawaiian
- Guamanian or Chamorro
- Samoan
- Other Asian (Write in)
- Other Pacific Islander (Write in)
- Some other Race (Write in)

I marked Other and wrote in La Raza. They should have had Hispanic/Latino. I think Brown is the best correct answer.

What I am referring to is Jose Vasconcelos’ "La Raza Cosmica (the Cosmic Race)" or a mixing of races in America. This new race was formed from the mixing of predominantly Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans. Vasconcelos, being a Mexican, was especially talking about, but not limited to, those with ancestry from the Iberian region of Europe (Spain and Portugal).

Hispanic and Latino are interchangeable umbrella terms that refer to individuals who are, were, and have ancestry from American Countries once colonized by Classical Spain or the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). This includes half of the United States, not counting Alaska, and everything south.

Now, if the U.S. Census Classifies White, Black, African Am., Negro, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Native Hawaiian, Guamanian or Chamorro, Samoan, Other Asian, and Other Pacific Islander as a Race, then Hispanic, Latino, or at least Brown should be one as well.

Guamanian, really? We are the second largest ethnic population next to non Hispanic, whites, and the largest Minority in the United States. Show some respect.

-D

[IsItSo]

Most demographers don't count Latinos as a race in their own right, but rather as an ethnicity.

[Darkwing65]

According to Wikipedia (Not the most legitimate source, but good for general knowledge. Plus the citations looked good.): "An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage that is real or assumed- sharing cultural characteristics".

Great but why does the ethnicity question not include
- African Am., Negro
- American Indian or Alaska Native (Indicate Tribe)
- Asian Indian
- Chinese
- Filipino
- Japanese
- Korean
- Vietnamese
- Native Hawaiian
- Guamanian or Chamorro
- Samoan
- Other Asian (Write in)
- Other Pacific Islander (Write in)

and Why are these groups listed as Races? They seem like Ethnicity's to me.

[IsItSo]

Latinos are descended from several different "races," including American Indians, whites, blacks, and Asians, so demographers consider them not a "race" in their own right, but rather interracial with a distinct culture. Chinese, Japanese, Chamorro, etc. are considered "races" because they in general do not descend from people of several "races," but rather just one.

[Darkwing65]

I think that reasoning is flawed. All races are some sort of blending or mixing of older races.

[Gambit]

I think it is impossible to describe hispanic/latino people with one race because we are very diverse and we all have different origins. People in Mexico dont have the same origins as people in Peru or Argentina. We only have a common ancestor, Spaniards, but that's it. Brown will not be accurate, because not all hispanic people are brown; there are a lot of people who look white/european. Hispanic is only accurate describing that most of us speak spanish and have some sort of Spanish heritage.

And thanks for posting this question, it reminded me to fill my Census haha.

[Lexington]

I think Ask-a-Mexican summed it up. To wit, "Don't see the one you want? Fill it in. You should feel lucky they gave you a blank to fill in. Washington's screwed up everything else related to Hispanics since the 1800s - why would you expect them to suddenly figure it out now?"

Lex

[Darkwing65]

Very True. I Can Still rant about it though =D

[mattypants]

Originally Posted by Megamomey

I think it is impossible to describe hispanic/latino people with one race because we are very diverse and we all have different origins. People in Mexico dont have the same origins as people in Peru or Argentina. We only have a common ancestor, Spaniards, but that's it. Brown will not be accurate, because not all hispanic people are brown; there are a lot of people who look white/european. Hispanic is only accurate describing that most of us speak spanish and have some sort of Spanish heritage.

essentially that, but im not for even asking race/ethnicity in the first place.

[RaRa]

I never know what to mark on these things. I usually put White but I don't think I am. :O I should probably switch it to other...

[Austin]

Ummm, get over it? We don't make the census. Complain to the people who DO.

"Black" people are often "brown" so "brown" wouldn't make much sense. A lot of asians are "brown" as well usually (of course some are pretty white)...

I honestly dunno why they don't. But in question 8 it asked if you were mexican... So it did ask.

[mm91]

I really don't get what the deal is here. They DO ask what your race/ethnicity is. That's practically the same thing. Even further, they give you a few options as to what exactly you are. Wouldn't it be redundant to ask AGAIN if you were Hispanic/Latino?

Really......I guess I just don't see the issue.

[Kid Quasar]

Can I get some help? I'm still stuck on question nine because I can't find human. Did they forget to put it in? Am I not seeing it? Or am I really the only human on the planet? :O