U.S.
Census 2000
The Final Analysis
Posted: September
25, 1999 03:15 PM |
|
 In our every deliberation, a nation
must study the implications of its decisions on its future generations.
1990 U.S. Census
482-489 ASSYRIAN482
Aramean
482 Assyrian
482 Chaldean
482 Chaldo
482 Jacobite
482 Kaldany
482 Kaldu
482 Kasddem
482 Kasdu
482 Nestorian
482-489 Telkeffee |
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The primary objective of the Atour
website is to aid the unification process of our people who have been subjected to
numerous genocides, migrations, and forced assimilation throughout the Middle Eastern
countries.
It is with sincere hope that the
following information will shed some light on the process which the U.S. Census Bureau and
our communities' delegations took to reach the proposed
"Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac" classification. Please view the links within
this page as you read the information.
Prior to the subsequent meetings of the
various individuals which comprised the committee, the Assyrian American National
Federation, the Chaldean American National Federation and the Suryoyo Delegation met,
agreed and officially signed documents to bring our
people closer together. We believe this was a genuine step in promoting the ideals
that we are people from the same nation.
Initially, the people (public) were told
we have only two choices from the Census Bureau. Indeed, these were the ultimatum given to the Assyrian delegation:
1) Separate categories
2) Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac (new category)
Actually, there where many
choices. The U.S. Census Bureau works under the democratic values of the
United States and makes its judgment based on meetings with community representatives
and obtaining historical information to formalize their decisions. Thus, the initial
choices at the Census Bureau were:
1) Assyrian (1990
Census)
2) "Assyrians (including Chaldeans)" (new category)
3) Separate categories (new categories)
4) Assyrio/Chaldo (new category)
5) Assyrian/Chaldean/Syrian (new category)
6) Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac (new category)
These choices were scrutinized based on
the recommendation of the delegations present. As the discussions continued,
most of choices were eliminated. An important issue to remember is,
did the Census
Bureau view the historical facts and make their judgments based on the historical
information presented to them OR were they extensively lobbied more from a particular
delegation into complete confusion and despair? Let us examine most of the
noteworthy information during Census 2000.
| The
key documentation presented and delegation viewpoints... |
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The reclassification process of the 1990 U.S. Census 482-489 Assyrian category for
Census 2000, began when the Census Bureau was contacted by the Chaldean Delegation, led by
the honorable Father Dr.
Sarhad Jammo at the request of the honorable Bishop Mar Ibrahim Ibrahim
from the Chaldean Diocese of Detroit, Michigan in July, 1998. Related
Article | Article 2.
The key events and discussions in
chronological order...
03/20/1998 -
The Assyrian and Chaldean National Federations Meet
07/16/1998 - Census Bureau
reply to Chaldean Federation's request for separation
10/07/1998 - Census interoffice communication
|
2
10/16/1998 - Census Bureau meets Chaldean
American Federation | 2 | 3 |
4
10/21/1998 -
Assyrian Delegation to Census Bureau
12/14/1998 - Census interoffice on classifications
| 2
03/02/1999 -
Census interoffice on the Assyrians
03/03/1999 - Ghassan Hanna to Census Bureau via
Al-Muntada Magazine (Perspective of U.S. Chaldean Catholic Church
Bishop, Ibrahim Ibrahim)
03/22/1999 - Census Bureau to U.S. Department of
State |
2
04/22/1999 -
Census Bureau open to
Classification Suggestions |
2
04/26/1999 - Census Bureau Conference Call | 2 | 3 |
4
05/04/1999 - Article published in Al-Muntada Magazine
05/06/1999 -
Ghassan Hanna to Census Bureau
05/06/1999 -
Ghassan Hanna to Census Bureau 2
05/07/1999 -
Atour.com begins Census
2000 Awareness (email petitions)
05/07/1999 -
Concerned Chaldean from Detroit,
Michigan to Census Bureau
05/12/1999 - Census interoffice on email petitions
|
2
05/13/1999 - Census interoffice on email
petitions - Atour.com Census 2000 Awareness email campaign is signed by
over 1,000 Assyrians since 05/07/1999
05/13/1999 - Census interoffice on Assyrians |
Page 2
05/13/1999 - Ghassan Hanna to Zenda Magazine,
forwarded to Census |
2
05/14/1999 -
Census interoffice on Assyrians
05/14/1999 -
Ghassan Hanna to Atour, forwarded to
Census
05/18/1999 -
Census interoffice on
Atour.com email petitions
05/25/1999 -
Concerned Assyrian from Spain to
Census Bureau
The Aftermath...
08/10/1999 - Official Statement on the Chaldean
political movements
2001 -  His
Holiness, Mar Raphael I Bidawid, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic
Church. (LBC: Lebanese satellite channel)
09/03/2003 -
Declaration
of the Chaldean Bishops on the Role of Chaldeans in new Iraq
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Conclusion |
| Will history repeat itself yet again,
448 years later? Will the Chaldean Delegation complete its initiative of seeking a separate ethnic code for Census 2000? These important
questions can only be answered by scientific and historical documentation.
As of September
25th, 1999,
1552
concerned Assyrians from the Assyrian Church of the East, the Chaldean Catholic Church,
the Syrian Orthodox Church, the Assyrian Presbyterian Church, the Assyrian Evangelical
Church and other religious communities have signed this census petition. In proportion to our nation's population of approximately 4 million
people worldwide (most without Internet access,) this is a significant number.
Are we more righteous in the 20th
century, complete with our massive archives of historical information, than our
forefathers? The same forefathers who understood the plight of the Assyrian Nation
and signed their official correspondences as Assyrians. Legends such as, Mar Eshai Shimun, Agha
Petrous, David B. Perley, Naoum Faik, Freydun Atturaya and many other giants of our
nation, who understood the Assyrian nation is comprised of groups and are known by their
respective churches' name, yet stood firmly on the foundation of Assyria.
We have become desensitized to
historical information. Progressive nations have long realized
that there is greater strength in unity. We, the Assyrians with our various internal
factions, have the same factions as do the Armenians and the Jewish people,
but neither of them will dare to undermine their true historic, national identity.
Their unwavering unity has allowed these nations to keep their land, cities, towns,
villages, dignity and their independence by uniting under one historic identity which has
allowed them to stand proud and triumphant over adversities.
Based upon the information
contained in
this analysis, it is quite evident these discussions require an evenly balanced
participation from the delegations to properly address this
centuries old plague, before any decisions can be made.
The single most important and
acceptable result the Assyrian people would like to see is the formation of the proposed
committee consisting of qualified political/religious/linguistic
scholars of the various communities of our
nation, to discuss the implications of its decisions. This
committee has yet to be created.
The Atour
website endorses the 1990 U.S. Census 482-489 Assyrian classification for Census
2000. We do not support any plan for the proposed "Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac"
classification nor any creation of separate categories of this one Assyrian
Nation.
We advise the
U.S. Census Bureau to uphold their constitutional obligations when deciding the fate of
our people.
To remain with
classification 482-489 Assyrian is less detrimental to our nation's forward movements,
than to make an imprudent decision based on the select few
history-revising clergymen and their supporters who feverishly
cause more damage and defy historical and scientific facts in the midst of the people's
innocence.
We sincerely
hope history does not repeat itself on this issue.
 Related
Information |
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