|
Frustration that the world can't solve its energy and environmental problems, for example, is one thing. Frustration that a demographic breakdown along ethnic lines forces a child into just one category when he obviously belongs in two is another. Not quite as understandable, you know.
To put it simply, StephenB, yes, I think it's valid to ask why they're asking at all, but I don't have a problem with them asking, in the end, if it's done right. Asking can be seen as part of appropriately trying to understand, recognize and ultimately respect those aspects of his background and to help society do the same, and indeed I think that's where it comes from (not, for example, asking like the government under the Nazis asked, for purposes of subjugation and extreme discrimination). But geez, what is so hard about getting the answer right, here? And it's hard to miss the old racist aspect of automatically classifying someone who is part X as just X when X is the non-majority group and the one traditionally discriminated against.
Steve
|