To: President Donald Trump, The New York State House, The New York State Senate, Governor Andrew Cuomo, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
Drop the official use of the word - 'NEGRO'
Are you a Negro?
Would you be shocked by the question "Are you a Negro?" if you were called to serve your jury duty in New York? I was, when I initially read it on the NY juror information card while answering my jury summon. That happened to me on November 13, 2013. Fast forward to November 15, 2014, when I received an email with the subject "Army Drops Use of Term 'Negro' and read about other occasional strong reactions similar to this story: New York (CNN) - "Yes, I identify as black or African-American, but I am not a Negro," from a young lady in a CNN article on the issue.
Would you be shocked by the question "Are you a Negro?" if you were called to serve your jury duty in New York? I was, when I initially read it on the NY juror information card while answering my jury summon. That happened to me on November 13, 2013. Fast forward to November 15, 2014, when I received an email with the subject "Army Drops Use of Term 'Negro' and read about other occasional strong reactions similar to this story: New York (CNN) - "Yes, I identify as black or African-American, but I am not a Negro," from a young lady in a CNN article on the issue.
Why is this important?
Are you a Negro?
Would you be shocked by the question "Are you a Negro?" if you were called to serve your jury duty in New York? I was, when I initially read it on the NY juror information card while answering my jury summon. That happened to me on November 13, 2013. Fast forward to November 15, 2014, when I received an email with the subject "Army Drops Use of Term 'Negro in Document" that had me thinking: The army agrees with me that the word 'Negro' has a historical negativity attached to it even when, or where, negativity is not intended. After all, the ultimate test of whether something is offensive lies not in an intention but in a perception of it.
While searching further on the issue, I discovered this issue stirs occasional strong reactions similar to this story: New York (CNN) - "Yes, I identify as black or African-American, but I am not a Negro," wrote a young lady in a CNN article on the issue. I have not encountered any organized movement targeting elimination of this unnecessary nuisance from the New York State court system while many other states have done it already.
Will you please join me in making this happen by spreading the word and by signing this petition to appeal to the New York State Office of Court Administration to immediately remove the term "Negro" from the New York State court forms? Thank you for standing with me on making New York a better place for all of us.
Would you be shocked by the question "Are you a Negro?" if you were called to serve your jury duty in New York? I was, when I initially read it on the NY juror information card while answering my jury summon. That happened to me on November 13, 2013. Fast forward to November 15, 2014, when I received an email with the subject "Army Drops Use of Term 'Negro in Document" that had me thinking: The army agrees with me that the word 'Negro' has a historical negativity attached to it even when, or where, negativity is not intended. After all, the ultimate test of whether something is offensive lies not in an intention but in a perception of it.
While searching further on the issue, I discovered this issue stirs occasional strong reactions similar to this story: New York (CNN) - "Yes, I identify as black or African-American, but I am not a Negro," wrote a young lady in a CNN article on the issue. I have not encountered any organized movement targeting elimination of this unnecessary nuisance from the New York State court system while many other states have done it already.
Will you please join me in making this happen by spreading the word and by signing this petition to appeal to the New York State Office of Court Administration to immediately remove the term "Negro" from the New York State court forms? Thank you for standing with me on making New York a better place for all of us.