Hispanic will be a race on the census in 2030

[Crumpets]

Having a MENA designation is pretty cool too.

[Crumpets]

If we make sure Australians and New Zealanders identify themselves as AAPI, then our racial designations will almost perfectly match the DoD's combatant command divisions. Neat!

[Crumpets]

I am against this. MENA and Latino are cultural umbrella categories, not racial categories.

What is the difference between a cultural umbrella category and a race? There's no scientific definition of race, and the most practical use of the Census racial data is to be able to ensure political representation is in line with the Voting Rights Act. And at least for that purpose, wouldn't having a bigger number of more specific racial categories be more useful than a smaller number of more general categories?

[Crumpets]

I am against this. MENA and Latino are cultural umbrella categories, not racial categories.

What is the difference between a cultural umbrella category and a race? There's no scientific definition of race, and the most practical use of the Census racial data is to be able to ensure political representation is in line with the Voting Rights Act. And at least for that purpose, wouldn't having a bigger number of more specific racial categories be more useful than a smaller number of more general categories?

A cultural umbrella categories are exactly what they sound like...large cultural demographics with similarities in various aspects. Race is different.  Various skin color demographics and ethnic groupings can coexist under the same cultural umbrella category and influence each other without becoming the same racially. Culture=/=race. I consider race to be the popular perception of categorized ethnicity. It's not 100% scientific but it doesn't have to be. Race/ethnicity at least is tangible and linked to blood, which history shows has been of considerable import. There's no need to deconstruct anything. I loathe the leftist idea of "deconstructing" this because its not, according to them, "scientific". It's not like they're actually any better actually adhering to it anyway.

I agree with this, but I don't see why you would oppose labeling Hispanic and Middle Eastern as a racial category if you see it this way. Someone who is Arab and looks Arab will be popularly perceived differently than someone who looks East Asian, white European, or black. Their racial experience will be defined by their Middle Eastern background and they'll experience prejudices based on that background. But should they have to pick between white and Asian as their only options on the census? Why?

[Crumpets]

Which category would be the one for jewish people?

Up to self-identification, but I knew at least one (Sephardic) Jew who was annoyed at having to say they were white rather than Middle Eastern on forms like the census because (paraphrasing) "I have not lived a white experience in America, like most American Jews have."