Census and the Government
Re “Census Official Counters Fear With Facts,” Ventura County Life column, March 22.
Why does the government need to know about race and ethnic origins?
Columnist Steve Chawkins poses this question and uses it to provide a census official an open forum for an uncorroborated account of supposed foul-mouthed, older white male bigotry at an event the official refuses to identify.
The question, however, is never answered. Al Sharpton and other practitioners of ethnic politics have their reasons. Why does the census need to probe about race and ethnic origins?
ALAN BENSON
Newbury Park
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