1990 Census Questions

I had a peculiar experience in attempting to fill out the census questionnaire. I came to the question concerning the race of my children and frankly did not know how to answer it. Since the instructions state that one bubble only should be filled in according to the race a person considers themselves to be, I finally resorted to asking them point blank. The absurdity of the question was immediately apparent to them.

I am half Swedish, one-quarter English, one-eighth French, and one-eighth German. When I fill out the census questionnaire about myself, I have no problem. I am easily able to fill in the bubble labeled “white,” because Europeans, Scandinavians, Slavics, or any other light-skinned persons have been allowed to “melt” into the American culture.

My husband is a pure-blooded Asian Indian. He has no problem filling out the census form because he is an immigrant from India. Theoretically, my children are the next generation to “melt” into the American culture. What race are they? When I asked my two daughters about their race, why cannot they answer “American!” with pride? Why must a bureaucratic government insist on breaking down what could be a united country into artificial categories called race?

Although the brochure enclosed with the questionnaire lists several reasons for the census, I fail to see how race can have a bearing on funding for programs, services, schools, etc.

CHRIS BALKRISHNA

Placentia