ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines practical objections to instituting a multiracial category, the most prominent being the harmful impact on civil rights compliance monitoring that would ensue. Paul Williams, general deputy assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, pointed out the inherent imprecision of the proposed multiracial category. The addition of a multiracial category is inappropriate and devalues the suffering of many millions of people, suffering that is the reason that these federal categories came into existence in the first place. An important potential effect on civil rights compliance monitoring is illustrated by the fact that Susan Graham's proposal specifically required that self-identification be the sole means of collecting data. The weakening of civil rights compliance monitoring for the sake of self-esteem issues is a serious concern. However, according to at least one of the national multiracial advocacy organizations, there is no mystery.
