Ethnic Data From Census
Re “Why Census Is Right to Ask for Racial and Ethnic Data,” Opinion, April 16: Peter Skerry’s article about the census gathering ethnic data contains enough internal paradoxes to defeat his own argument.
It should be obvious that the only way for a big, powerful organization--and the U.S. government is the most powerful of all--to have truly colorblind policies is to be colorblind.
Believing that the government will keep census data confidential is like believing the used car salesman who says, “Trust me.”
THOMAS F. BRANDS
Los Angeles
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Having written a column attacking the large number of questions about race and ethnicity on the census form, I turned eagerly to Skerry’s article. Instead of facts and persuasive logic, we were fed a handful of smoke.
Won’t somebody please explain why the federal government needs to know how many Mexican Americans, Puerto Rican Americans, Cuban Americans, et al. there are in the United States. And, what’s the difference between a Latino, Hispanic and a Chicano? Also, what’s the difference between Mexican American and Chicanos?
Being married to a Mexican American woman for more than 45 years, this inquiring mind would like to know.
Instead of e pluribus unum (one out of many, it seems to be pluribus uber alles (many over all).
HARVEY B. SCHECHTER
Sherman Oaks
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