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Not Yet, Mr. King

August 24, 2007, 11:36 am

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation
where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of
their character.

Today I am spending much of the day filling out my EEO-1 report for the government.  This report requires me to officially report the race of each of my employees.  One of the most distasteful things I have to do all year.

Tags: ,
Category: Regulation
  • tim

    I used to hate that too, back when I had employees. I confess, I intentionally lied my ass off. I always wondered if the government thought it curious that there were 12 pacific islanders in a software distribution company in Chicago. It still makes me laugh. And for the record, I always check the "native American" box when filling out loan applications. In my state, you have to fill out what race you are in order to buy a gun. The guy behind the counter didn't find my "native american" thing funny. I got bounced, but the next guy was as angry as I am about that stuff and let it slide.

    Oh look, black helicopters are landing in my back yard...

  • dearieme

    How do you know the race of your employees?

  • Larry Sheldon

    "How do you know the race of your employees?"

    I worked for a company that was under a "Consent Decree" long before a lot of the current laws and regulations came to be. And that was the question never answered.

    We were specifically forbidden to ask or even speculate. But we had to fill out reports like that.

    And the lies suggested would not have worked, because somewhere there was somebody (inside th company) who checked and would know.

    Which led to the second question.

    It was never answered either--but if you asked it too often.....

  • la petite chou chou

    The employees don't have to say their race, so why should the employer. Sounds like affirmative action at work.

  • Steve

    If there aren't check boxes for the choice "Other" on the forms, I usually cross out one of the selections and write in "Human". That's what the nuns taught me back in the 60's . . .

  • Walter E. Wallis, P.E.

    The last census they sent someone to my house to assign me a race. I celebrated way back when we anti- Jimcrow activists succeeded in eliminating racial designation on driver's licenses and official record. I bellieve racial identification is illegal.

  • ALLAN AMES

    One of the things that makes Coyote interesting is that it deals with real situations, as opposed to politically correct, or just imagined. And I bet Coyote doesn't spend his off hours with other reporters or "personalities" like most of the people pretending to give us information.

  • http://www.provincialpaper.com/vci-packaging/desiccants.asp Mark

    I could clearly understand your feelings, since I too faced the similar situations. I really hate to discriminate the people by race and status. We should learn to treat every people same. But I strongly believe, things will change in the next gen.
    Silica Gel Desiccant

  • Larry Sheldon

    Something has been bothering me since I first saw this item--beyond the fact that the laws and regs require you to report on human resources inventory by race (speaking of dehumanizing) but forbid gathering he data necessary to do so.

    It should be _Dr._ King, shouldn't it?

  • http://www.liftport.com/progress/wp Brian

    How do you know the race of your employees?

    When I reported in for work I remember an HR form asking me for my race.

  • la petite chou chou

    No one asked me mine. It might be kinda obvious but still....neither should they be assuming...(that sounds like I'm pro them asking, which I'm not, just making a point).

  • tmitsss

    http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/08/25/ap4053872.html

    WASHINGTON - The selection of a Chinese sculptor to carve a three-story monument to Martin Luther King Jr. on the National Mall is raising questions about what part of his legacy should be celebrated.

    King promoted peace and understanding among all people. His primary fight, however, was to win particular opportunities for blacks in the United States by juxtaposing the plight of an oppressed people against a message of freedom and democracy.

    A loose-knit but growing group of critics says a black artist - or at least an American - should have been chosen to create the King memorial between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials in the nation's capital. They have been joined by human rights advocates who say King would have abhorred the Chinese government's record on religious and civil liberty.

  • TC

    Rather amazing since it seems that even the cops ae issuing APB's that describe everything sans the color of skin.

    For your next report I'd do the same! give em the SS#, they can get what ever they need from such, right?

  • http://blog.russnelson.com Russell Nelson

    My race is 'bicycle'.