June 28, 2006
Arabs are White!
My diverse readers may not have known this, as I didn’t: But Diverse News has recently learned that Arabs are members of the White race. This according to the U.S. Census Bureau. I was totally dumbfounded when I, the editor-in-chief of Diverse News, came across this. Diversity is my specialty and I have only myself to blame. But, this will only increase Diverse News’ efforts even further to do even more to recognize diversity in all reports. I am not aware of this making the major media but I think it should have gotten some press. Reading the U.S. Census Bureau’s logic behind their decision, the Census came up with this on their own, with their own committee. The Interagency Committee did invite public opinion but I don’t recall that getting much publicity.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity:
“b. General program administrative and grant reporting
These standards shall be used for all Federal administrative reporting or record keeping requirements that include data on race and ethnicity. Agencies that cannot follow these standards must request a variance from OMB. Variances will be considered if the agency can demonstrate that it is not reasonable for the primary reporter to determine racial or ethnic background in terms of the specified categories, that determination of racial or ethnic background is not critical to the administration of the program in question, or that the specific program is directed to only one or a limited number of racial or ethnic groups. ”
This seems to mean that all governmental agencies are required to adhere to what the Census Bureau’s Interagency Committee set forth in their above standards with permission from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. But do they?
Hypotheticals:
Does this hold any significance? I don’t know. Does it mean that if two white guys (Arab and European) get into a fight, they can both be charged with ethnic-intimidation if they call each other, “Whitey”: I don’t know. Does this mean that the major media will recognize diversity in the now diverse white culture(s), representative of culture and religion. Or just treat the now bigger white population as heathen?: I don’t know. So many unanswered questions.
Let us know what you think. [email protected]
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