Friday, Aug. 21, 2009

Now That's Diversity

When you talk about minorities in Hawaii, you're talking about everyone. Unlike in most states, no racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority in the Aloha State. White residents make up just a quarter of the population — the lowest proportion in the country. (Which is 66% white overall, according to Census figures.) Nearly 40% of Hawaiians are classified as Asian, with an additional 9% native Hawaiian. Governor Linda Lingle calls Hawaii a place where "racial and ethnic lines are often blurred or deemed irrelevant." Sounds like a logical birthplace for the first President to break the color line.