Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
LuxuryItem - Some White Christian parents tick off Jewish to help their kids through school. White aint powerful.
There is funny theory floating around on the 'net the Afghans/pathans are one of the lost (15th/16th or 19th) tribe of the Jewish diaspora. No harm is checking of "Jewish" either. Aren't all Muslims descendents of Abraham the jew?
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
When my hubby was going thru the immigration process, he was told that his classification was "Asian".
I didnt finish the form yet but I think I'm going to circle the "Asian" choice but write "Caucasian/" in front of it. From the little I can find out on a weekend, it seems like ethnicity is based more on paternal side than maternal. Otherwise, I'd choose "Caucasian" but write in "Asian/" in front.
They do this for statistical purposes, analysis of ethnic makeup of each school district, gives the bean-counters lots of data to have fun with, to see "how" each ethnic group is doing, where they are, how they score on standard tests broken down by ethnic group etc. Thats why i dont think it matters too much at this point in their lives. But since the classification "Asian" is considered a minority, they will have more opportunity when applying for colleges and scholarships later on if this classification is applied to them.
dunno, I always have been asked to check the caucasian box throuf my immigration process in US. Asian usually is applied more to south east asia. china, japan, singapore etc. Maybe the guys your hubby asked had a diff definition than the guy I had asked..who knows really , they need to add a desi box there.
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
found this form with some definitions.
so it says ppl of indian and pakistani background should check asian
middle eastern folks should check white
in my case since I have UK documents, the immigration officials probably went by the middle eastern definition for race rather than Pakistani. dunno.
PS: i did not know that Korea and Japan were in the Indian subcontinent!!!
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
What's the ethnic group of Northern Pakistanis? Aren't Turk/Aryans considered caucasians?
I think guppie posted a very detailed analysis of ethnic groupings of desis. Anyone remember who was the poster?
Northern Pakistanis are not Turks. Turks are not Aryans. You can debate for 24 years regarding who the Aryans are, better not to get into it. Pakistanis, are South Asians. Get over your inferiority complex, stop trying to associate yourself with Arabs Persians Turks etc.
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
check Asians
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
Mama over here we have a seperate “Mixed” or “Other” option.
I don’t personally see the point in such boxes because “Ethnicty” technically means your current culture be that Arabian, American, English, Turkish, Pashtun etc. it’s not what ones ancestors were a few generations back because we all descend from diverse ancestors far back enough anyway…
Ppl get race and ethnicty mixed up, race is in your genes but a lot of ppl are mixed race so it shouldn’t matter which racial group we are negro, aboriginie, caucasian, oriental or mixture in this day and age…
Man tell me you are joking! Are you Iranian, Brahmin or Afghan by any chance? Because only they come out with such…
Over here Pakis, Bangis (and certain other lesser nationalities 
) are classed as South-Asian but then if they really consider us British we’d be European because Britian is in Europe.
I can’t wait till the day when it doesn’t matter what our roots were, it’s like excess luggage, everyone should be allowed to choose their ethncicity. .
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
The thing about it in the usa all has to do with "minorities" and making sure they get the same opportunities. "Affirmative Action", ACLU and all that. Every school district has to report on their ethnic makeup and how well the majority does compared to the minorities. Bean-counter fodder. You cannot however choose your ethnic makeup...maybe the words are wrong here. I mean state questionaires dont want to put that nasty "race" word in their forms but its what they actually mean. They want to know whether your DNA comes from Africa, Asia, Central/South America or Europe and the question is phrased as only state workers could phrase it lol. Anyway, if my boys CAN be categorized into a "minority" category, that makes me happy since they;d be afforded more opportunity than if they were considered "white majority" (which IMHO btw is now the REAL minority) But they'd get more college financial aid, more scholarship opportunities and more openings in colleges already filled up with "caucasion" students. Selfish I know but what the heck right?
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
Northern Pakistanis are not Turks. Turks are not Aryans. You can debate for 24 years regarding who the Aryans are, better not to get into it. Pakistanis, are South Asians. Get over your inferiority complex, stop trying to associate yourself with Arabs Persians Turks etc.
I wonder why does this subject matter burn the 'vedic' buns to no end.
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
Listen people sometimes being placed into a "minority" category can be a really GOOD thing! More scholarships. More placement openings in college/univ open to you. More financial aid. More advancement opportunity once/if you delve into "corporate america". So WHAT if you cant check that "White" aryan box? If it gets you THAT much further in life then all the more to ya. IMHO.
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
So now a black, broad nosed baddo is white and tall, fair Punjabi is asian.:halo:
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
well then I suppose oxford definition of caucasian was written by Iranian, Brahmin or Afghans. The Caucasian race (sometimes called the Caucasoid race) is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as…
“relating to a broad division of humankind covering peoples from Europe, western Asia, and parts of India and North Africa. 2 white-skinned; of European origin. 3 relating to the region of the Caucasus in SE Europe”*
last time I checked Pakistan was in area considered parts of Indian subcontinent.
did it move?
Going further since this question relates specifically with United States and not United Kingdom, even the general reference to the term "asian’ has different connotations .. lets use oxford dictionary again..
USAGE In Britain Asian is used to refer to people who come from (or whose parents came from) the Indian subcontinent, while in North America it is used to refer to people from the Far East.
Based on the above information, If Pakistan recently moved to the Far east, then in North America people of Pakistani descent could be considered Asian 
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
Mamaof3
I thought ethnicity comes from father. My father is Punjabi and my mom Pathan, ethnically i'm Punjabi.
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
I bring along an “English for Beginners” dictionary wherever I go. You cant imagine how graciously everyone treats me.
Seriously though, there are benefits to being a minority at least at University. I’m not sure it applies to upper level management once you’re into the labour force. If there ain’t a proper category, chose anything remotely foreign for your children.
Wow! Way to misquote. The source does not say what you wrote. Read what is says: “peoples from Europe, western Asia, and parts of India and North Africa.”
Where the heck did you add “Middle East, South Asia” from? Really want to be caucasian eh. Tsk tsk.
This is the proper source:WikiPedia Not so proper if you ask me.
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
I bring along an "English for Beginners" dictionary wherever I go. You cant imagine how graciously everyone treats me.
Seriously though, there are benefits to being a minority at least at University. I'm not sure it applies to upper level management once you're into the labour force. If there ain't a proper category, chose anything remotely foreign for your children.
Wow! Way to misquote. The source does not say what you wrote. Read what is says: "peoples from Europe, western Asia, and parts of India and North Africa."
Where the heck did you add "Middle East, South Asia" from? Really want to be caucasian eh. Tsk tsk.
sorry , it was an honest mistake as wikipedia had quoted it as such. I copied and pasted from there. I have now corrected it to what the oxford dictionary specifically states.
regardless.. the oxford dictionary says people from parts of India are caucasian. does it not. I also posted info on the definition of Asian as it relates to US.
You really want to be "asian" eh? tsk tsk. ..see does getting personal does anything for the discussion? so why go down that path?
If you go back and read my initial posts I had clearly listed that they need to have another box there. You may have missed that. in post #23 I found other govt info to tell her that checking asian may be the way to go based on that document.
issue is that these forms are screwed up. they need to be brought into the current day and age.
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
I think ethnicity has to do more where your country is situated in the region then on color. Anyhow if you are born in usa and would not like to associate with that region, just go with caucasian and if you'd like to associate yourself with the region you or your parents belong to then choose one of the other appropriate one.
In mama's case, I would just go with asian or with other (if they have others on the form) as it will help get more scholarships and grants, etc for undergrad and grad school.
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
ask US gov dude. I am confused as to how Korea and Japan are added into indian subcontinent -per that form. (PS: this confusion is a joke, I am kidding around, just in case someone thought I was serious on this point)
btw where did they define a black, broad nosed baddoo as white?
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
^Middle eastern are classified as white as per that link
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
yeah, I guess they were thinking more lebanese and less yemeni.
I think the issue is that the race classification of caucasan, negroid, mongloid is way past its prime, and when they mix it with ethnicity, and try to get demographic data without proper definitions, it causes a lot of confusion.
In my experience, I had checked asian, as I was used to Asian classification in UK, but the immigration officer corrected it to white..noting that by asian annd pacific islanders they meant more japanese, chinese, and all.
In the end it is all confusing.
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
I wonder why does this subject matter burn the 'vedic' buns to no end.
I'm not Brahmin or Hindu or anything you are imagining me to be. I'm brown, and I'm proud of it. I don't suffer from any inferiority complex from lighter races like you do!
Re: Sensitive Question re: Ethnicity
When I was really little they suggested for us to check "White" as our race. I guess cause the person my mom asked was thinking Asians are southeast asians. Not sure really.
But I've always checked "Asian".
In your cause I'd probably check Asian and write a slash with White next to it. Or simply check both.