Op-Ed columnist Ray Hanania on why the U.S. Census is unfair to Arabs
The US Census is pushing to get American Arabs and Muslims to participate and help secure a "complete" count beginning in April. But many Arabs are concerned because the Census wants our help but gives Arabs nothing directly in return, such as recognition. That recognition is given to many other ethnic groups.
American Arabs want to be included on the Census Form and be listed as "Arab" or maybe even Middle Eastern. Why not? There are now 28 other racial and ethnic groups listed on the census form.
Census officials respond that they have no say over who is or isn't listed on the form, but that is an unacceptable, and even arrogant, excuse. They say we have to lobby Congress. Really? It might be easier to lobby Congress if Congress and the Government were getting feedback from the Census officials saying that many Arabs are concerned and want to be included.
Refusing to stand up and convey that concern is what bothers me the most.
And here is my YouTube commentary about that controversy. It's under 3 minutes.
Click here to view Video
-- Ray Hanania
www.RadioChicagoland.com