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I have seen Iranians that look more German that Jürgen Klinsmann the US soccer team coach who has olive skin. So what is the problem?
The problem is racial and ethnic classification which makes some folks uncomfortable.
And many Americans (whether black, white, or else) believe Hispanic is a race. And so they ask: "You don't look Hispanic?".
One of my clients today was an older, tall White Mexican lady with white blonde hair. I thought she was American until she asked for a Spanish interpreter. I also work with many blonde and red headed Mexicans.
I have seen on applications when 'Hispanics' look White, they will mark the 'White' category. When some Latin Americans are Native American, they will mark Native American.
The United States Census uses the ethnonym Hispanic or Latino to refer to "a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.". These definitions fully exclude persons of Portuguese culture or origin based in Europe (as well as in Africa or Asia).
Despite that census definition, Senator Pat Toomey is a full member of the Congressional Hispanic Conference (CHC) is a Republican Party-controlled caucus in the United States Congress. He feels qualified as his mother was of Portuguese ancestry (all of his maternal great-grandparents had been born in the Azores).
Pacific Islanders are considered distinct from Asian. Asian itself involves at least two distinct groups; East and Southeast Asians and South Asians. Indian people surely are distinct from Chinese no? Native Americans are generally lumped with (east and southeast)Asians.
Sure, there are subtle variations between the three main categories. But, why bother to create more racial groups to continue to classify people. I believe it is an obsession with race and sadly many members of these groups embrace the classification.
We could easily subclassify caucasians into strict Nordics where only those with pale blue eyes and near white blonde hair can make it. Then we could add those of Northern European heritage that are not blonde. And of course in Ireland the folks with brown eyes are called the black Irish.
And if we continue, we could say Jews are not white because they are Semites. And Europeans from southern Europe must be too high yellow to be white.
Where does it end?
And how about Indians from India? Did you know that the skin color is highly variable, but many have caucasian facial features. Some look like an Arian with a heavy tan.
And how American Indians? They are not a different race! They are Asian! All native people form the Americas are Asian and came to this part of the world when Alaska was connected by land with Asia.
Sure, there are subtle variations between the three main categories. But, why bother to create more racial groups to continue to classify people. I believe it is an obsession with race and sadly many members of these groups embrace the classification.
We could easily subclassify caucasians into strict Nordics where only those with pale blue eyes and near white blonde hair can make it. Then we could add those of Northern European heritage that are not blonde. And of course in Ireland the folks with brown eyes are called the black Irish.
And if we continue, we could say Jews are not white because they are Semites. And Europeans from southern Europe must be too high yellow to be white.
Where does it end?
And how about Indians from India? Did you know that the skin color is highly variable, but many have caucasian facial features. Some look like an Arian with a heavy tan.
And how American Indians? They are not a different race! They are Asian! All native people form the Americas are Asian and came to this part of the world when Alaska was connected by land with Asia.
While I can see and maybe agree with what you may be trying to say here, you're unnecessarily splitting hairs here. Your message is a bit lost in all that. Indian and Chinese simply are different groups. We don't have to accept it or agree with it. They still will be, whether we do or not but that's the beauty of the human species is our diversity.
Well, I will have to disagree with this. IMO this is just a way of keeping track of information in today's complex society. I think it is important to be informed and have this type of information available to all. I believe an educated populous is better than an ignorant one, regardless if we're talking about this topic or any other. However, I do agree that the hispanic classification is ill-defined and should be changed.
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Originally Posted by Julian658
Decisions are made based on that classification. Whether the decisions are positive or negative is moot. Labels carry a force whether negative or positive.
Lets assume the government wanted to know which white people were Irish. Why? To see if they drink?
Lets assume they want to know who is Chinese. Why? To see if they are good in math?
And what is the difference between a non-hispanic white and a hispanic white?
Why is the government so interested in this? Do you know why they did this?
The census has historically counted all ethnicities/races going back to colonial times, so it's not like one group is being singled out here. If anything white hispanics are able to get affirmative action benefits while still being of European descent, so the system can benefit them while not being an actual racial minority.
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Originally Posted by Julian658
They did it because many Cubans, Argentinians, etc marked themselves as white in the census and that offended someone. I guess a white Argentinean is High Yellow and White Italian is not!
Anytime people are classified racism has to be applied.
Poor indigenous folks of Latin America accept this because they are ignorant and uneducated. However, more than 50% of so-called Hispanics do not like the term.
The number of hispanics in the US who look "white" or "European" is a small segment of the overall hispanic population (at least in most of the country). If white hispanics really wanted to blend in and not be labeled as hispanic they could have historically anglicized their surnames like many other ethnic groups did who immigrated to the US. Many Germans, Italians, and Eastern Europeans did this. It's interesting that you mentioned Argentinians, because I bet a good amount of them have non-Spanish surnames. However, the number of people from Argentina in the US is miniscule.
In my experience the way hispanics self-identify varies a lot. I have met hispanic people who clearly look white but insist that they're not white, which I thought was ridiculous. I have also met darker skinned hispanics who appear mixed but say that they're white or "Spanish."
Poor indigenous hispanics have to accept this classification because they're not white and could not pass as such. If we did away with the hispanic classification they would just get put into some sort of other minority classification (probably some variation of native S. American or mixed).
Well, I will have to disagree with this. IMO this is just a way of keeping track of information in today's complex society. I think it is important to be informed and have this type of information available to all. I believe an educated populous is better than an ignorant one, regardless if we're talking about this topic or any other. However, I do agree that the hispanic classification is ill-defined and should be changed.
Why do they have a need to classify people based on appearance?
In the US a Hispanic is a person that looks like an American Indian and washes the dishes in your local restaurant. It is what it is.
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The census has historically counted all ethnicities/races going back to colonial times, so it's not like one group is being singled out here. If anything white hispanics are able to get affirmative action benefits while still being of European descent, so the system can benefit them while not being an actual racial minority.
My daughter looks European and has a Spanish surname. I sent her to to a private prep school for girls, she is fully americanized and graduated in the top 10% of her class. When she applied to college I was in shock to learn her university tuition was 50k a year. I ask her to apply for grants because she had a Spanish surname--------she got nothing (nada). They reviewed my tax returns and she qualified for NOTHING. The idea that folks with Spanish surnames get scholarships all the time is a myth.
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The number of hispanics in the US who look "white" or "European" is a small segment of the overall hispanic population (at least in most of the country). If white hispanics really wanted to blend in and not be labeled as hispanic they could have historically anglicized their surnames like many other ethnic groups did who immigrated to the US. Many Germans, Italians, and Eastern Europeans did this. It's interesting that you mentioned Argentinians, because I bet a good amount of them have non-Spanish surnames. However, the number of people from Argentina in the US is miniscule.
Most of the so-called hispanics that are of European heritage have no need to migrate to the US because they have a great socioeconomic standing. The vast majority of those that come to the US are extremely poor and mostly of indigenous descent (no different than native Americans).
BTW, my son changed his last name to an Anglo version because once an application for a job was not considered because of his surname. Then when he finally had a face to face interview he was told "but, you look white". The one that threw away his application was a low level secretary.
If we had no obsession with racial classifications none of this would be an issue.
Don't get me wrong. I know it is natural for humans to discriminate, that is part of the human condition. However, this should never be sanctioned by the government.
Within 20 thousand years the entire world will be olive skin; it is unavoidable. Whiteness requires racial purity whereas dark skin does not require racial purity.
So, are you saying that white people should be genocided out of existence, now?
Pacific Islanders are considered distinct from Asian. Asian itself involves at least two distinct groups; East and Southeast Asians and South Asians. Indian people surely are distinct from Chinese no? Native Americans are generally lumped with (east and southeast)Asians.
Indians, Pakistanis, Afghanis and Sri Lankans are phenotypically (bone structure, eyes, hair texture) closer to Caucasians than they are to East Asians. In fact, what is known as the "Caucasian race" evolved out of India, which is its birthplace.
So, are you saying that white people should be genocided out of existence, now?
White traits are recessive and for white a trait to be expressed there is a need for the gene to be present in both parents.
The white race is destined to disappear as long as the current mating conditions persist.
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These humans will be between 6ft and 7ft tall and they will live up to 120 years.
"Physical features will be driven by indicators of health, youth and fertility that men and women have evolved to look for in potential mates," says the report, which suggests that advances in cosmetic surgery and other body modifying techniques will effectively homogenise our appearance.
Men will have symmetrical facial features, deeper voices and bigger penises, according to Curry in a report commissioned for men's satellite TV channel Bravo.
Women will all have glossy hair, smooth hairless skin, large eyes and pert breasts, according to Curry.
Racial differences will be a thing of the past as interbreeding produces a single coffee-coloured skin tone.
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