Why??

[flyboy 28]

Okay, this isn't meant to be racist. I'll say that right off.

My mom wanted me to enter this Home Depot sweepstakes thing where you enter a code on the bottom of your receipt and fill out a survey and you have the chance to win a $5,000 gift card. So I was doing it for her and I came upon this question;



What point does that question cover? I am just curious really.

James

[Woodlouse2002]

I should imagine it's just for statistics. So they can find how many people from various ethnic backgrounds participate so they can work towards everyones best interest.

[Triple_7]

It makes you wander sometimes.  I notice just about any form I fill out has a race question.  Some of those little surveys that are to be entered into a contest may have a way of being a little racest.  Computer could boot whoever they want like it never existed

[Felix/FFDS]

Without knowing much more than what you're stating, I'd have to say it's a demographic survey.   Do you live in an area that's seeing an increase in hispanics/latinos?

*In general* hispanics as a group are the fastest growing ethnic group in the US, so companies are eager cater to this growingly affluent market.

[Katahu]

Asking someone if they're Hispanic or Latino is like asking someone if they are White or Caucasian. It makes not sense.

Basically, it looks like a trick question.

[bbstackerf]

Just a marketing research tool. That way they know how much Hispanic geared advertising might be appropiate to a given market area where the store is located. Some Hispanics/Latinos are sticklers about the distinction between a 'hispanic being of Spanish euro blood' and 'Latinos' which woud encompass Mexicans and others from central and south Americas. My mother was born in Mexico of 2nd generation immigrant Italian and German parents, and my dad is of Spanish-Filipino stock so it's all semantics to me.

Keni

[Katahu]

Well, IMHO, a Hispanic is from Latin America [colonized by the Spanish] thus the term Latino comes in.

Did you know that in the next 100 years or so, around 1 in 4 Americans will be Hispanics?

EDIT: If I'm straying off topic, let me know. I don't fully comprehend the question at all.

[legoalex2000]

i dont like how that qeustion was asked. was there questions for the other races as well?

i'm not concerned with asking for a race if plenty (at least 5 or 6) options available including "other" is available. but i do raise up the question if they single out a specific group...

ramos

[bbstackerf]

You're not. To most Americans the whole Hispanic/Latino thing is really unimportant But to SOME Hispanics-being of Spanish stock or Latinos being from latin American it's like asking any Anglo American if he's American or Brit. Mostly I think it's a pride thing. After all at it's core anyone who speaks Spanish is actually of "Hispanic".

keni

PS Hispanic and Latin are not races, they're cultures.

In the scientific terms there are only 3 races and mixtures of these. Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid.

Any questionaire which asks race and offers anymore than these 3 choices is in error and is a product of ignorance. When I was a kid in school a questionaire asked for race, I checked 'Asian Other'. My teacher had me change it to caucasian and told me I was just a white person with dark skin. That still cracks me up when I remember that.

Keni

[flyboy 28]

Do you live in an area that's seeing an increase in hispanics/latinos?

Kinda. Although, they are workers getting minimum wage working in McDonalds, etc.. Again, not being racist, just pointing out a fact.

was there questions for the other races as well?

Negative. Just this.

[bbstackerf]

That kinda proves my point about it not being racist and just a marketing research tool. There probably weren't other race questions because there aren't any other cultures growing as rapidly in you community whose buying buck needs to be addressed. And, after all lets face it, even someone who works at Mickey Dees needs to buy a lightbulb or garden hose.

Keni

[Marlin]

My guess is, this way they can be prepaired to give out Pescos if your here illegally.  ;D :-/ :-/