Apparently "north african" is usually considered part of "middle eastern", based on the lists I'd found so far. But see, now, there's map! ... and that raises entire issues on its own, specifically for black citizens of the US whose family came here by way of slave ship. Hell, for that matter, any major population who arrived at a shore and had no way to retain family knowledge of their past -- at least with a broad question you can say, "well, I look like people who live there, so I'll pick that," but the more the question gains details (like Central vs North vs South vs etc), the more it can become baffling, upsetting, even offensive to feel like you're being put on the spot because you just don't know which part of goddamn Africa or Asia or whatever that you should be clicking on.
And, like I've said above, I'd really hate to make a person feel like that, but the simple fact is that race does impact our lives. Sheesh, maybe I should just go for blunt and ask people to pick a skin color!? ...no, that's probably not much help. But still.
On the other hand, maybe this is one reason the US census still has so few boxes, given just how much of this nation is composed of immigrants (and how many of us came here, at one point or another, unwillingly or just plain with nothing but clothes on our backs). Hmmm... *snaps out of it* Woah, for a second there I was almost feeling sympathy for US civil servants! Excuse me, I need chocolate.
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Date: 14 May 2010 09:29 pm (UTC)And, like I've said above, I'd really hate to make a person feel like that, but the simple fact is that race does impact our lives. Sheesh, maybe I should just go for blunt and ask people to pick a skin color!? ...no, that's probably not much help. But still.
On the other hand, maybe this is one reason the US census still has so few boxes, given just how much of this nation is composed of immigrants (and how many of us came here, at one point or another, unwillingly or just plain with nothing but clothes on our backs). Hmmm... *snaps out of it* Woah, for a second there I was almost feeling sympathy for US civil servants! Excuse me, I need chocolate.