A sour note from the inaugural committee

For the first time since I gave a dollar to Humphrey when I was a kid in 1968, I made a contribution to a presidential candidate this year, a substantial contribution actually. To me, the election was that important.

A couple of weeks ago, I got a breathless letter from the RNC informing me that I was eligible for inaugural ball tickets. I smiled, knowing that there was obviously some money involved. The letter came this week -- each ticket is $1,750. Wheeeeee!!! For that money, I could eat several times at Masa.

But that wasn't the sour note.

Tonight, I received an e-mail message from the Republican Jewish Coalition advising me that volunteers are needed for various inaugural events. Sounded a lot more appealing. I went to the inaugural committee's website and noticed that the application form required the obvious -- name, address, e-mail, phone, and also SSN (a security issue, undoubtedly). But it also required state of birth, country of birth, race (from a drop-down list; and a box "If Other, Please Specify"), and "gender" (male or female only; no funny stuff).

So I want to ask the President: Why do you want to know my race? Why do you care about it? Why is this relevant to your inaugural committee?