Why do Americans classify "Latinos/Hispanics", "Jews" and "Arabs" as races? (fit in, pool)

[FinnishAmerican]

because they are a race.
Atleast Jews, you cant deny it... Moderator cut: off topic/personal

[Chicagoland60426]

Originally Posted by nykeroutoftown

Yes. I agree.



It can't though its like comparing apples, oranges, and a fruit salad. you can't group Whites, Blacks, and Americans; why do it with these groups? It confuses people. Many people think Latinos, Arabs, and Jews can't be White or Black, ect in the USA.

But wait a minute!! Did you just say the concept of race is stupid?

[Chicagoland60426]

Originally Posted by Ghost of Blasphamany

what you claim cannot be true

There are a lot of Jews that are atheist. Mark Zuckerberg(facebook founder) claims to be Jewish, but on the same note identify as an atheist. I'm leaning towards that being a Jew is both a religion and an ethnic group, depending on if the person is a convert or born Jew. Jews have their own language, so its more than a meere religion.

[ABQConvict]

The thing about Judaism is that it is an endogamic faith, that is, historically and in the present, they strongly emphasize mating with other Jews. While Judaism has had some pretty big conversions in the past where a whole tribe converted, for the most part, Judaism has not been big on conversions even prohibiting it entirely in ultra-orthodox congregations.

I hate to use racial slurs (so I won't), but there are a few that reference genetically inherited physical characteristics that are very common if not the rule in even the most genetically diverse Jewish populations (Ashkenazim/European Jews).

[ReluctantGardenStater]

Originally Posted by nykeroutoftown

What do you mean by ethnic features? And Arabics have great variation, a multitude of races, cultures and religions binded by a language.

Ethnic features as a Semitic people, plain and simple. Some later posts (including Thomas') hit the mark on what I've been trying to convey. As others allude to - Yes, there can be "Japanese Jews" or "Black Jews", but what we are talking about here (and what some are for whatever reason trying to ignore) is that Jews are ALSO an ethnic group. Semitic/Hebrew/Israelite, whichever term you choose to use, it is an ethnic group.

The bizarre concept that Judaism is "just" a religion has been disproven time and time again.

[iPwn]

Originally Posted by Chicagoland60426

There are a lot of Jews that are atheist. Mark Zuckerberg(facebook founder) claims to be Jewish, but on the same note identify as an atheist. I'm leaning towards that being a Jew is both a religion and an ethnic group, depending on if the person is a convert or born Jew. Jews have their own language, so its more than a meere religion.

Jewish basically just means ethnic Israeli doesn't it?

[Manolón]

Originally Posted by nykeroutoftown

Great link btw hidenseek. Nails my opinion head on. In the U.S. we even have medical studies being conducted lableing Hispanic/Latino as a race. Unbelievable.

Here is that link again The Hispanic Myth Home Page

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If 90 percent of all Hispanics in the US are mestizo Mexicans, mestizo Dominicans, PR, mestizo Central Americans, etc...the belief of Mainstream Americans that all Hispanics are mestizos makes sense.

White Hispanics are extreme rarity in the US, but not in many Latin American countries/Spain.

[Manolón]

If 90 percent of all Hispanics in the US are mestizo Mexicans, mestizo Dominicans, PR, mestizo Central Americans, etc...the belief of Mainstream Americans that all Hispanics are mestizos makes sense.

White Hispanics are extreme rarity in the US, but not in many Latin American countries/Spain.

More so, most Mainstream Americans think that Argentineans, Brazilians and Spanish eat tacos.

[davidals]

Originally Posted by ReluctantGardenStater

Of course Jews and Arabs are Caucasiod. Technically, there are only three races: Caucasiod, Mongoloid, and Negroid.

That doesn't make Jews or Arabs "white". White really describes people of European ancestry. Jews and Arabs are of Semitic origin. Of course Jews have assimilated into European culture. The Romans destroyed Judeau and the great exodus occurred. Many Jews were forced to take up residence in areas such as Poland, Russia, Belarus, Hungary, etc. But they still have their roots in the Middle East.

Jews have assimilated into plenty of non-European cultures as well - whether it's well-known or not is of no relevance. Ethiopia and (to a lesser degree) other parts of East Africa, China (there are at least two published histories of the Kaifeng Jewish communities, which - it is theorized - basically assimilated themselves out of existance), Kerala in India, and I recall a NY Times feature some years back about the small indigenous Jewish population in Bangkok, and their attempt at keeping traditions alive.

[gwillyfromphilly]

Most Jews today are descendants of European converts to Judaism. Very few Jews today actually descend from the ancient Israelites.