U.S. Census 2000
The Final Analysis
Posted: September 25, 1999 03:15 PM |
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 In
our every deliberation, a nation must study the implications of its
decisions on its future generations.
1990 U.S. Census
482-489 ASSYRIAN
482 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
confusion and despair? Let us examine most of the noteworthy
information during Census 2000.
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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
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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
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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
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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 |
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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
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