Tuesday, April 03, 2007
demographics
Some math whiz wants to convince me that we need statistics on who people are; i.e. we must catorgize people by color and ethnicity so we need statistics. After all, she tells me, how can we tell where money is needed unless we know these things.
I keep trying to tell her that if we need to identify people who need economic assistance we don't need to know their color. Does being black and making $12,000 a year make you poorer than being white and making $12,000 a year?
Poor is poor. There is no color of "poor". There is no ethnicity that determines "poor". There is no race that is "poor" in and of itself.
Poor means the lack of funds to buy essentials and maintain your life; i.e. food shelter and clothing, medical care, dental care and provide educational materials for your children.
Poor doesn't care what color your skin is. Poor just is.
So why again do we need to know the color of poverty?
To make those of us who are not poor feel better?
I keep trying to tell her that if we need to identify people who need economic assistance we don't need to know their color. Does being black and making $12,000 a year make you poorer than being white and making $12,000 a year?
Poor is poor. There is no color of "poor". There is no ethnicity that determines "poor". There is no race that is "poor" in and of itself.
Poor means the lack of funds to buy essentials and maintain your life; i.e. food shelter and clothing, medical care, dental care and provide educational materials for your children.
Poor doesn't care what color your skin is. Poor just is.
So why again do we need to know the color of poverty?
To make those of us who are not poor feel better?
