The 2010 Census is hitting everyone’s mailbox in the coming weeks, if it hasn’t already. It’s a simple form but the race part is confusing in a couple ways. One is the wording of the question and two is the purpose for having it at all. I’m of the opinion that our race really shouldn’t matter. I know, I know, pretty naive huh? I could care less what color everyone is in my neighborhood but apparently it matters to the government. I’ve read the reasons given for the inclusion of race on the census, but they don’t really hold weight anymore, at least not to me.
So, I have a proposal for the 2020 Census that will make the choice much easier and it gets to the heart of what the government really wants to know. I only make this suggestion because race will never be removed from the census, so why fight it. Let’s just make it easy.
2020 Census Race Proposal:
Question 9: Choose Your Race
Instructions: Hold non-writing hand next to the chart below and with your writing hand check the box below the hand that most closely resembles your skin tone.
• NIS Skin Color Scale.
