Fraternity-Testvériség, 1997 (75. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1997-01-01 / 1. szám
FRATERNITY Page 19 UNITED STATES CENSUS 2000 The U.S. Census Bureau will be conducting a census in the year 2000. Currently, several groups are lobbying for an abbreviated version of the Census which would leave out the question on ancestry. We, ethnic Hungarians, along with other ethnic groups, strongly feel that this should not be the case. If you agree that the question of ancestry be included in Census 2000, please sign the statement below, remove it from this newsletter and return it to us as soon as possible. Statement to Support Ancestry in the U.S. Census We are Americans of all ethnic backgrounds who support the question on “Ancestry” in the 2000 Census. The ancestry question on the long form of the decennial census is the only source of information about the ethic composition of our nation’s population. We know the value of statistics derived from the long form survey. It is the only way to maintain a national reservoir of accurate and reliable information on our society’s changing demographic makeup. Ancestry, in particular, is important regardless of racial identity. Equally essential is our ability as a nation to capture the rich, complex and dynamic nature of Americans’ identity with our immigrant roots and ethnicity, in a way that includes all countries of origin, and all generations. Without the ancestry question, data on ethnicity is incomplete and skewed and prevents a comprehensive picture of our country's overall patterns of assimilation, mobility and success. Census data on ancestry from the long form have been used by a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including: 1. State, county and municipal agencies are recognizing the growing need to identify and reach constituent groups beyond racial classification; 2. Political leaders increasingly conduct outreach to targeted ethnic constituencies; 3. Ethnic communities depend fully on census data to monitor their growth, progress and involvement in American society. 4. Educators and human service providers use the data to ensure that programs are inclusive and representative of the local population; 5. Federal agencies such as the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights recognize the need for ancestry data to monitor discrimination based on national origin; 6. The private sector’s use of ethnic data continues to expand as corporations, researchers, journalists and marketing professionals seek to identify, study and reach more discreet segments of the population; We strongly urge the Bureau of the Census, the Department of Commerce, the Office of Management and Budget and the U.S. Congress to maintain the question on Ancestry with other demographic indicators of the long form. We further support the consideration of the combined Race and Ancestry question on the 100% form, as it was tested by the Census Bureau in June. Endorsed by: _______HRFA Print Name Affiliation HUNGARIAN REFORMED FEDERATION OF AMERICA 2001 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20036-1011. (202) 328-2630 (202) 328-7984 FAX
