Ethnicity: Who are you? (generations, Mexicans, Hispanic, dollars)

[mission-sundancer]

With the 2010 Census fast approaching, I was wondering how many people are actually true to their ancestors when filling out their ethnic identity? If your grandparents were indians from Mexico, what do you put for race and ethnicity? Every year millions of dollars go to other programs because people of native american ethnicity aren't represented. Just because my ancestors didn't surrender to the Great White Father, doesn't make them any less indian! The Spanish Colonial Missions were built by my ancestors, but every year at least 10 million dollars earmarked for native american programs goes for other things because according to the National Parks honchos there are no native americans in San Antonio!! If your great grandparents were indian, and your grandparents were indian, and your parents were indian....What does that make you?

[blakesq]

I am an american. Not looking for handouts.

Originally Posted by mission-sundancer

With the 2010 Census fast approaching, I was wondering how many people are actually true to their ancestors when filling out their ethnic identity? If your grandparents were indians from Mexico, what do you put for race and ethnicity? Every year millions of dollars go to other programs because people of native american ethnicity aren't represented. Just because my ancestors didn't surrender to the Great White Father, doesn't make them any less indian! The Spanish Colonial Missions were built by my ancestors, but every year at least 10 million dollars earmarked for native american programs goes for other things because according to the National Parks honchos there are no native americans in San Antonio!! If your great grandparents were indian, and your grandparents were indian, and your parents were indian....What does that make you?

[wayover20]

I'm hispanic and my parents and grandparents were from Hondo Tx and that's as far back as I know. I filled out last years form and mailed it back then a couple of weeks later get a call from the census bureau wanting to further clarify some things. Bottom line was they were trying so hard to get me to say we are Mexicans and I wouldn't budge. I told them what I knew, as far back as I knew and I wasn't going to change it.

I kept saying were we Americans and that's all I knew. It really bugged me that they would question my answers anyway.

[mojosalsa]

I was thinking about this last week, but not in the context of the census. Just in the context of "Where the heck did I come from?"

I tried going back but two generations on my dad's side and I hit Mexico. Three generations back on my mom's side and I hit Mexico. I remember my Great-Great Aunt told me her side of the family came through the Canary Islands, to San Antonio. I also know that part of the family came from the Monterrey area. On my dad's side, my grandmother was born somewhere around Reynosa. And he said his great grandmother was an Indian. And that she and my great grandfather sheltered Pancho Villa, who in return for their hospitality, gave them his rifle.

So I'm some sort of Spanish/Mexican/Indian. Some of my grandparents were born here, my parents were born here, and I was born here, and Texas is all that we know. My family is short statured, athletic, dark hair, eyes, and skin. Our family history is lost to time, but I'm proud to be an American.

On all of my paperwork, I've always checked Hispanic or Mexican-American, even though my birth certificate says "White." I don't know my official ancestry, just that it's a mix of people, most from Mexico. My grandparents and great-aunts and uncles spoke Spanish and are Catholic, so Hispanic is fine with me.

You are really blessed if you truly know where you come from. A lot of us are at a loss, and just speculate. I wish I knew.

PS. According to Wikipedia: it says this about the 2010 Census: "The 2010 US Census will have changes designed to more clearly distinguish the Hispanic ethnicity as not being a race."

The preview of the census found here: The Questions on the Form - 2010 Census (http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php - broken link)

Question #8: Is person 1 of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish orgin?
My Answer: Yes. Mexican, Mexican Am., Chicano

Question #9: What is Person 1's race?
Answer: White (It's gonna bug me, but oh well.)

And:

I am an american. Not looking for handouts.

Lol, neither am I. I got an Academic Scholarship. Full Tuition. BooYeah.

[elnina]

How often is census done? I think that it will be my first here - I don't remember anyone asking me any of those questions before...

[Mom2Feebs]

Originally Posted by mission-sundancer

Just because my ancestors didn't surrender to the Great White Father, doesn't make them any less indian!

Oh brother.

[mission-sundancer]

The Census is done every ten years. This one should be interesting. I don't think there is a box for "American"

[skeet09]

The Census just gets more and more complicated every year. oyyyy.....

[svg210]

Originally Posted by wayover20

I'm hispanic and my parents and grandparents were from Hondo Tx and that's as far back as I know. I filled out last years form and mailed it back then a couple of weeks later get a call from the census bureau wanting to further clarify some things. Bottom line was they were trying so hard to get me to say we are Mexicans and I wouldn't budge. I told them what I knew, as far back as I knew and I wasn't going to change it.

I kept saying were we Americans and that's all I knew. It really bugged me that they would question my answers anyway.

so the census was accusing you of being mexican? LOL All the Census Forms I've done have Hispanic, Latino, Metizo and I havent seen Anglo for a while

[ShaneSA]

The census was designed in 1790 to do just a census. Count the number of people in the new country. It has denegrated into a map of who should get the handouts. In there somewhere is the census of how many people are in the US.
With that said, all I'm going to tell them is that I am here. I was badgered in the last census to come up with all kinds of information about housing, rents, costs of purchase, stuff that in the long run is my business. Take me to jail for not anwsering some of the stupid questions that have nothing to do with the number of people in the US.