Census ethnicity box

So, the forms for the 2010 U.S. Census are out, and there has been some upset over the "race" section of the form. The first few choices are "White", "Black, African Am., or Negro", and "American Indian or Alaska Native", and there's a space to put a tribal affiliation. The word Negro is what's causing the problems. The defense is, some people still identify themselves as that, so that option should be there.

My problem is, the whole "race" section is flawed. White or Black/Afr Am/Negros get only those options. American Indians get to give a tribe. Below that, are checkboxes for: Asian Indian, Japanese, Native Hawaiian, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, and more. So, a first generation German immigrant has to be "White", a first generation Nigerian immigrant has to be "Black", but a fifth-generation Chinese American gets to be Chinese. If the question about race is going to be asked, everyone should get to fill in the box with whatever they want.

Then, there's the actual legal purpose of the census. According to the US CONSTITUTION (remember it?), Section 2, Clause 3:

"Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. (See Note 2) The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct."

The only race issue there was if you're an Indian who doesn't pay taxes, or an "other Person", which was code for slave. Since we don't have "other Persons" anymore, and I believe the American Indians are treated like taxpaying human beings (most of the time), this clause essentially says:

"For the purposes of apportioning representative and direct taxes, the U.S. Government will count everyone, every 10 years."

RACE DOESN'T MATTER. INCOME DOESN'T MATTER. WHAT KIND OF HOUSE YOU LIVE IN OR CAR YOU DRIVE DOESN'T MATTER. HOW MANY TOILETS YOU HAVE DOESN'T MATTER.

The only right the government has is to ask you if you exist. Don't like the race section? DON'T ANSWER IT. Don't like any of the other stuff? Don't answer. It's none of anybody's damn business anyway.

If all men are created equal and we all have equal protection under the law, then we should all be counted as people, and congressional districts should be drawn to include the proper number of people, with the smallest possible perimeter. Representatives are for ALL the people who live inside that IMAGINARY LINE, not just the black, white, natives, Filipinos, or anything else.

Tell the census bureau how many people live there, and then tell them to take a flying leap. And remember, an official census taker will NEVER ask to come inside your house, EVER. And, find the appropriate number for your area to verify that the person at the door is official: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/contact/index.php