Date: Thu, 3 Nov 1994 16:54:59 PST

From: "CAVEMAN -- San Bernardino, Calif. USA" cjcoker[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CSUPOMONA.EDU

Subject: Re: who is african american



Hi, Chuck Coker here. Got the following from Shani N. Walker:



I know that biologically speaking, there is no such thing as "race."

Is there a another use of the term "race" other than in bigotry (and

government)? This is a serious question -- no humor this time.



Chuck Coker

CJCoker[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CSUPomona.Edu



PS: I was accepted into college because of "Native American," I believe.



I don't know exactly what you are asking for, except to say that I am an

African-American female who does not get offended by being called this,

because I know who I am, regardless of what people call me. Labels that

society puts upon people of the minority races are only temporary...I

don't get too caught up in labels...who knows, the next thing "they"

may call us are African-Black-Negro Americans...who's to say?

Question to you: why do applications have a question regarding your

ethnic background? I know to answer the question is only optional, but

why is it asked in the first place? Do you have a theory?



Shani N. Walker

Morehead State University

Morehead, Kentucky



I don't remember what the original posting was, but I was responding to

someone else's posting in the above. That's why it appears not to make

a whole lot of sense. I think somebody said they got a job or something,

because their skin was the "right color" or something like that. (Do I

use too many words beginning with "some"?)



As far as name-calling, personally, I don't really care what I'm called;

I don't even care if it's polite or not.



About the ethnic background question, you see that more often in

government and government-related industries (schools are gov't, too,

as I am sure we're all painfully aware). I used to own a heavy-truck

repair shop in Orange, California. Because I serviced all the Roadway

Express trucks in Orange County, and Roadway hauled stuff for the feds,

etc., I was indirectly connected to the government. So I had to ask

stupid questions like ethnicity and such, so I could report to the

government that my business was an Equal Opportunity Employer and I

didn't discriminate because of race, sex, religion, ad nauseum. My

personal opinion? Can you fix trucks? Yes? You're hired, even though

you have purple (or whatever color) skin.



When I entered college, at that school there was 0.6% Native American

and Alaskan Eskimo ethnicity. (Alaskan Eskimo? What about the others,

Canada, Greenland, Siberia, etc.? Maybe they're not minorities.) I

looked good on their statistic sheets. But what the (insert favorite

word here), I got into college.



Other people might have other opinions and facts (I'm sure they do).

Maybe some of them will respond.



Comments and Flames Always Welcome,

Chuck Coker

CJCoker[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CSUPomona.Edu



P.S. I do computer work now. Had to get out of the truck-repair business

because there was getting to be too much government stuff; I couldn't

take it anymore. Ask your mechanic next time how come he has to charge

you so much money.



===============================================================================

There have been no dragons in my life, only small spiders and stepping in gum.

I could have coped with the dragons.

Anonymous (but wise)

===============================================================================