Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
20 September 2010
23:1671774#1
Today we got a form back from our daughters school requesting, among other things, her ethnic background. At one time these forms confined themselves to country of origin but not anymore. This form lists 14 different types of 'White'; White, White-English, White-Irish, White-Scottish, White-Welsh, White+any other Asian background, White and any other group, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean, White and Indian, White and Pakistani, White Eastern European, White Western European and (in case you are a Cornish Nationlist) Other White British.. By way of comparison there are only 4 types of Black given (Black African, Black Caribbean, Black and any other ethnic group and Any Other Black background). Are we alone in finding this obsession pointless to the point of absurd?
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
20 September 2010
23:2471777#2
Yes. Totally ridiculous. My 86 year old mother recently got a survey from her council which also asked her for her sexual orientation.
I have made a point of always ticking myself as an ethnic minority in the hope that I might benefit from positive discrimination and in the sure knowledge that it pisses people of as they are so P.C. and worried about being accused of racist behaviour that they haven't got the bottle to question my answers.
Guest 694- Registered: 22 Mar 2010
- Posts: 778
20 September 2010
23:2471778#3
hmm...now my legs are pretty white indeed.... as anyone who has seen them will agree..
but there is no doubting i am infact White Welsh Irish or we could go with White British ( after all, I was born in england, mums family is from ireland, dads family are welsh ) so which one do i come under.. hmmm??.. now thats thrown your form hasnt it?!
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
20 September 2010
23:3071780#4
complete and utter crap
do we not all bleed red?
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
20 September 2010
23:4371782#5
well that means I am a white of eastern european descent married to a far east asian with a daughter born in the UK of both of the above..what box does she tick????
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
21 September 2010
05:4671784#6
One word: pants. Tick 'em all!!!
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
21 September 2010
07:0171789#7
The next time I get asked such a question I will simply answer Klingon.... write it accross the form. idiotic questions deserve idiotic answers and they should be given.
Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
21 September 2010
08:2971817#8
If asked what my ethnic origin is I tick the Other box and put Irrelevant.
With my grandparents and great grandparents history if philandering it would be difficult to answer correctly anyway
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
21 September 2010
09:0271824#9
i normally refuse to fill that part of a form in.
the other week i was asked by a gentleman of far eastern origin at the hospital in margate the question.
i replied "what does it look like", he giggled uncomfortably, i then added "chinese".
he had to type that in.
21 September 2010
09:4771827#10
21 September 2010
11:0171831#11
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
21 September 2010
11:3371832#12
Why don't they put on the forms "Who do you think you are" ?? Have a good guess !!
Mine would be : probably mostly Viking, some Celt, some Anglo-Saxon, maybe some Huguenot, and a bit of this and that.
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Lincolnshire Born and Bred
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
21 September 2010
11:4471833#13
I am now awaiting the forms for religion that list 30 types of catholic and 40 types of c of e, followed by the 50 page questionaires on sustainability.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
21 September 2010
12:5271838#14
Klingon is a good one. I'll certainly use that, or Xenomorph, with either Jedi or Sith as my religion. What an utter load of old bollox.
Thinking about it, how are we supposed to mingle as a mixed diverse society when the authorities make such a huge point of highlighting our differences?
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
21 September 2010
14:4471856#15
I find these questions on forms interesting. I am Anglo-Saxon, and probably Celtic too, and have written an article called Celtic Dover in Kent, showing that Dover and Kent were inhabited by Celts. In fact, the Jutes (akin to the Anglo Saxons) who arrived in Kent probably integrated with the Celts who remained. Overall I am English and British.
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
21 September 2010
17:2671859#16
Howard, would that be "white chinese" or "yellow chinese"?
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
21 September 2010
18:5771875#17
To think it irritates me when I have to give my nationality, all those different whites is just plain daft. I suppose they are conducting some kind of survey or is someone taking the ----
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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21 September 2010
19:3371887#18
Before long we'll be doing it like this. Skin swatches!
21 September 2010
20:2071903#19
