Re: the US Census Bureau report/prognosis today that "minorities" will have slipped into the "majority" by 2042 A.D. Ha, I say, to that. I'll still be in the majority: Dead People. But here are the round numbers predicted circa 2050: non-Hispanic whites 46%; Hispanics 30%; blacks 15%; Asians 9%=100% total. No multi-racial category? Evidently the USCB is operating on the old Jim Crow "one drop theory," that was ever so popular in the South, as explained in an earlier post. In fact, I do not recall if we were even given a choice like "multi-racial" or "other" or "mixed parentage" or some such in the last census.
But no matter, respondents would have chosen their cultural/ethnic identity anyway, just as they do on those various Application Forms (college, employment, etc.) that involve Affirmative Action (Harvard Law?) in some way. However, I've always thought that the 10-year census business was based on somewhat shaky premises. The forty-year projection is even shakier, for by that time how many, many more respondents will have a mixed genetic heritage like Obama (who doubtless checked "black" on his census form) and my 4th son; and by that time, too, how many more (I hope) will be able to DISAVOW ethnic and sub-cultural differences, especially including religion, THE most divisive element in American society today.
Anyway, various pundits now are finally admitting to what I said earlier about about Obama's mysterious 20% gap between The Dems 60% approval rate and his-- a gap that still has him about even with McCain. It's race. Those 20% have "shot him in the barnyard" for no other reason. That last was a private allusion to a science-fiction story that has has popped into my head at relevant times for over half a century. (Unfortunately, the author and title hasn't.) As with many sci-fi works of that period (those of Heinlein and Bradbury quickly come to mind) it had a strong social/moral message. Briefly: naked handsome brilliant young man with a tan falls from sky; from future; be-clothed and soon beloved by farmer's daughter and everyone else; except Dad who discovers that in the future all have become racially homogenized (and all the better for it); and shoots him dead because he didn't want his daughter "married to no nigger." I do remember the last line verbatim; it had such an impact on me at that young age. But there's your "one drop theory" for you, brought reductio-wise to it's mortally logical conclusion. And you know that there have already been publicized cases of threats on Obama's life for just that one reason. I wring my hands.
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