Ha Ha It Says 'Negro' On The Census Form

Back when America was awesome, black people were called "Negroes." Sure, the title may have implied that black people were a separate sub-human species, but everyone was cool with that until the ACLU or ACORNS probably filed a lawsuit against it and America and the troops. Time for a comeback! And look, it's on the 2010 Census form as an option, right next to "black" and "African-American." Will "Person 1" be forced to write in, "ALL OF THE ABOVE?"

Although it would be monstrously absurd foranyoneto take offense at some comical old-timey word's inclusion on a friggin Census form, we do enjoy the Census spokesman's face-saving rationale:

Question No. 9 on this year's census form asks about race, with one of the answers listed as "black, African-Am. or Negro."

Census Bureau spokesman Jack Martin said the use of "Negro" was intended as a term of inclusion.

"Many older African-Americans identified themselves that way, and many still do," he said. "Those who identify themselves as Negroes need to be included."

Ha ha ha. Elderly Negroes may not actuallyknowthat the modern world now refers to them as "black" and/or "African-American." The softened terminology people come up with these days! Might as well call 'em Irish.

Really, what's much more confusing is the racial option below it: "American Indian or Alaska Native." You think the likes of the Palin family will be able to decodethatsecond part? Maybe "Native American Alaskan" or "Alaskan Indian" or "Whatever Mexican Thingy They Have In Alaska" would work better.

 Use of word Negro on 2010 census forms raises memories of Jim Crow [NYDN]