Insensitive census forms use word Negro

There is as lot of hullabaloo about the ‘insensitive’ census form this year. Some are even crying racist!

Question No. 9 on this year’s census form asks about race, with one of the answers listed as “black, African-Am. or Negro.”

It’s not as if this is the first time Negro has been used on a census form. Look at the 2010 form compared to the 2000 form. It’s the same.

(click on illustration to enlarge)
Census Bureau spokesman Jack Martin said the use of “Negro” was intended as a term of inclusion.

“Many older African-Americans identified themselves that way, and many still do,” he said. “Those who identify themselves as Negroes need to be included.”

However, if the census form authors are going to include term 'Negro,' why not put 'Colored' on there just in case someone hadn't graduated from that word usage?

Others have been critical because African American is abbreviated as African Am while American Indian is spelled out.

Will criticisms of the census forms continue? Yes, you can bet on it.