compulsory "Equality" form- fuck you, I don't fit in your boxes!

[Ethilrist]

@Ravenman

irishgirl, I realize that you have a rich ancestry, no doubt, but I don’t quite understand why the suggestions made by kanicbird or levdrakon do not fit the bill.

I think there’s a distinction being made differently here… some people are seeing these questions as “are you X in any way at all,” and others see it as “are you mostly or completely X”, with no real gray area between the two distinctions. The suggested solutions are for the first option (“If you ever went to a protestant church, even once, check here”), and I think she believes the form will be interpreted as “This person is a Protestant,” slap a label on her, and file it away till the end of time.

[Stranger_On_A_Train]

@Ravenman

irishgirl, I realize that you have a rich ancestry, no doubt, but I don’t quite understand why the suggestions made by kanicbird or levdrakon do not fit the bill.

Here’s why:

@irishgirl

I’m pissed off, and here’s why.
I don’t fit in the boxes, this information doesn’t accurately represent me as a person, and adds nothing to the statistical validity of this form. I also think it is none of their business and I would never answer these type of questions if given the choice.

The OP is offended that this form, which inaccurately represents here diverse genetic background, and as a sit-in for cultural ethnicity fails to indicate her political leanings, which she (rightly) feels are no business of the government of Northern Ireland in any case. As a US citizen, I have to point out that in this country that survey would be challenged in court faster than Tiger Woods would sign an endorsement contract, but apparently such questions are perfectly acceptable by the [del]British[/del]Northern Irish government. As any rate, the survey is a useless and erratic datum as far as the OP’s case is concerned, and on a wider scale merely serve to encourage the divisiveness of the government and culture.

I love the Irish (or, at least their whiskey and native language) but they have a long way to go as far as letting go of outmoded prejudices. Then again, we could say the same about the French, the Japanese, and most portions of the US as well, to name a few.

Stranger

[GorillaMan]

@Stranger On A Train

As a US citizen, I have to point out that in this country that survey would be challenged in court faster than Tiger Woods would sign an endorsement contract, but apparently such questions are perfectly acceptable by the [del]British[/del]Northern Irish government…I love the Irish (or, at least their whiskey and native language) but they have a long way to go as far as letting go of outmoded prejudices.

Any compulsory form would be equally challenged in any other part of the UK. Such systems have been put in place as part of the peace process, in an attempt to both acknowledge that prejudices & discrimination exist, and also to tackle them, in an undeniably unique environment.

[homeskillet]

@EJsGirl

A separate “ethnicity?” So much so that it’s listed under the “racial” section? Wow, I really had no idea that Travellers were that different, other than some language and lifestyle differences.

Are they included there because of increased violence against them, at an almost “racial-hatred” level?

I think it’s usually the other way around!

My friend was on a Dublin bus the other day, and this little Traveller boy was sitting behind this Romanian woman and the whole time he was kicking the back of her seat shouting, “feckin’ gypsie!”

Why Mr. Kettle, looking rather black today aren’t we?

:wally

[mswas]

Heh, welcome to America, we’ve been having to check those unutterably stupid check boxes for as long as I can remember.

Erek

[Stranger_On_A_Train]

@mswas

Heh, welcome to America, we’ve been having to check those unutterably stupid check boxes for as long as I can remember.

But they’re not compulsory; you can opt not to check them.

I generally check “Other”, even though I’m about as pasty white and blue-eyed as they come. Given that my ancestory includes enough AmerIndian to impart a resistance to poison ivy and ethnicities scattered all over Europe, I figure I’m enough of a mongrel to qualify. Besides, I consider the question to be assinine, particuarly now that all blacks are presumed to be “African-American” regardless of what nation they reside in. :rolleyes:

Stranger

[mswas]

@Stranger On A Train

But they’re not compulsory; you can opt not to check them.

I generally check “Other”, even though I’m about as pasty white and blue-eyed as they come. Given that my ancestory includes enough AmerIndian to impart a resistance to poison ivy and ethnicities scattered all over Europe, I figure I’m enough of a mongrel to qualify. Besides, I consider the question to be assinine, particuarly now that all blacks are presumed to be “African-American” regardless of what nation they reside in. :rolleyes:

Stranger

Put in the OPs position, I would check every one that applies and take a certain amount of solace in knowing that it might perturb some mindless bureaucrat somewhere who thinks his statistics reflect anything actually useful to the governance of the realm.

Erek

[Ravenman]

@Stranger On A Train

Here’s why: (snip)

The OP is offended that this form, which inaccurately represents here diverse genetic background, and as a sit-in for cultural ethnicity fails to indicate her political leanings, which she (rightly) feels are no business of the government of Northern Ireland in any case.

I must have missed the part of the OP in which she said she just didn’t like filling in the forms. That’s understandable, and sheds light on the matter.

However, I’m still not following how this form would inaccurately reflects her heritage. If someone is a little bit of everything, s/he checks every box. I’m just not seeing the problem here. It seems to me that form is just about how you identify yourself, it isn’t some complex genetic study requiring blood tests and DNA analysis.

I am left with two questions: First, whether the forms are intended as part of the implementation of the Good Friday Accord. If they are, I think the case for collecting this sort of information becomes a whole lot more compelling. To my recollection, the whole Troubles started over disputes about Protestants getting favorable access to jobs, housing, and benefits. In the context of a peace agreement, I can see a rational case for collecting this type of information, even if it is not 100% accurate 100% of the time.

Second, and this is kind of a hijack, I am certain that US census forms include questions on ethnicity, and I am pretty sure that filling out the forms sent to a household is compulsary. That being the case, I’m not at all confident that we can be so quick to decide that such questions “could never happen here.”

[Ravenman]

Ooops, left out a key phrase while editing: “To my recollection, one side of the conflict maintains that the whole Troubles started over disputes about Protestants getting favorable access to jobs, housing, and benefits.”

I was trying to clean up the verbiage and left it out.

[Stranger_On_A_Train]

@Ravenman

Second, and this is kind of a hijack, I am certain that US census forms include questions on ethnicity, and I am pretty sure that filling out the forms sent to a household is compulsary. That being the case, I’m not at all confident that we can be so quick to decide that such questions “could never happen here.”

Nope; providing “ethnic” information is entirely optional, although census-takers will press for a specific answer. I refused to be classified as “Caucasian” as I have no evidence that my ancestors came from the Caucus region. (Smartass.)

In my opinion, the pursuit of genetic “ethnicity” as a defining characteristic is nothing more than bigotry and a precursor to eugenics, no matter how well-intended.

Stranger