Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 13:02:56 -0800 (PST)
From: D. Huskins
Subject: Letter to the Editor
Greetings all,
Nice site and a good source of information.
Regarding the 2000 Census, and the problems with respondent ethnicity categories, there may be a post hoc solution (of a sorts) when the data are provided to various academic institutions, local governments and libraries for public use. Even the sometimes obtuse 1990 data can be accessed in tabular format, down to a census tract (neighborhood) level. Assuming that the complete variable roster is present, incorrect use or interpretation of population figures can be countered and refuted. If, for instance, multi-racial individuals are forcibly collapsed into a single category, given access to the aggregate raw data (not found in the usual published abstracts) accurate, if a little more complex figures can be distilled and presented.
With the 1990 Census, Hispanic is a cultural category and isn’t included in the Race totals. Hence, figures including Hispanic usually don’t sum to a neat 100%.Most people are smart enough to grasp this once it is explained. Ancestry, which is essentially ancestor nationality, already allowed respondents to select 0, 1 or 2 categories in 1990. [I’m not suggesting that these variables are a substitute for race.] The multiplicity of selections is not a problem for analysis done in good faith, and multiple race categories for 2000 shouldn’t be either.
Ideally, the misuse of the Census racial categories could be countered with fact (or at least as close to fact as correctly tabulated figures get). Since 1990, both personal computers and the Internet have simplified the handling of massive amounts of data. Given a standard home PC and a typical consumer spreadsheet, anybody with sufficient skill should be able to download Census data and lucid instructions for use. Most likely, the 2000 aggregate data will eventually all be on line and accessible. To their credit, the Census Bureau is putting more and more information on line in generally increasingly friendly formats. Finding the correct page among hundreds can be a problem at times, though.
There will be controversy with the 2000 Census results because of the impending undercount. Various groups will be interpreting figures to their own advantage. The disproportionate lack of some groups in the Census could shift power (Congressional seats) in some areas. The Census Bureau is considering (at some expense) having adjusted and unadjusted figures available. Data wrangling is going occur on a number of fronts. If the full spectrum of data is available, I would hope that the accurate would be recognized as such.
Regards.