The Idiocy of Racism

I have never been able to understand how rational people become racist. To me, it is the proof that we are enslaved more by our passions and emotions than we are liberated by our knowledge. For example, one is hard pressed to find a smoker who does not believe the usage guidelines on cigarettes that "use as directed will kill you". It's not until they develop an emotional incentive that they are able to finally quit...sometimes.

I have been reading a book by Steve Olson titled Mapping Human History. He traces the history of human kind through the genetic haplotypes it females' mitochondrial DNA and the males' Y chromosome. The first thing I learned is that the Y chromosome can be used to track mutations and is actually more informative than female mitochondrial DNA. At first they thought the Y chromosome was of little value, but now they have identified over 200 locations where mutations occur creating distinct haplotypes.

The real eye-opener was in the area of using biology to determine ethnic or racial origins. I had always known that there is more variation in the DNA of local "homogeneous" group (say all the citizens of a small town) than between one group and another of a different "race" (for example the Hispanics in the city of Bend, Oregon vs. the "White" people of Bend, Oregon). This is because most of DNA identifiers, say skin tone, or eye color vary among "European" people more than they vary between "European" and "Hispanic" people (just accept that some of the Europeans will have the same skin tone as an Hispanic, or if most of the Hispanics have dark brown eyes, at least one of the Europeans will likely have the same eye color).

The other tidbit that is rather well-known and accepted is that when any group is in slavery to another (Egyptians to Romans as much as Africans to Southern Americans) there is a great mixing of the DNA in both men and women. Of course, in the American South it was accepted with a wink that white men were having sexual liaisons (probably very few at the choice of the woman) with African-American women, but the idea of plantation women mixing with African-American was outrageous and would quickly lead to the lynching of any man discovered or accused. Again, what I find beyond comprehension is how the plantation men could so easily see their offspring as an increase in their chattel assets, this being beyond the already outrageous idea than a person of some sort would see a biological superiority to another in chattel slavery.

Here's the most remarkable fact though: among people who pass for "white" within the definitions of the government who can trace their lineage back to the American south, 25% of us have African DNA that matches that of the African West Coast. Among those classified African-American by government definition who trace their lineage to the Antebellum South, 30% have European DNA.

The "Us Vs Them" concept is so strong in humanity that we create "Thems" based on the slightest ideas: it could be language, skin tone (and this has infinite variations), eye shape, or even diet. The choices are random, arbitrary and pretty stupid when you think about it. Once this difference is made it is usually a small step to "WE are superior to THEM" and "WE WILL CLEANSE THE EARTH OF THEM".

In 2010 the US Census Bureau chose to allow the choice of multiple ethnic origins. Three percent of respondents chose this option. I believe as the enthusiasm for genealogy continues to grow, information becomes available and stigma is overcome many more of us will choose some combination. As the DNA evidence is accepted more and more, ALL of us will have to check African.

The serious matter settled, I will indulge in a ridiculous but characteristic observation:

I believe my DNA is dominated by the Scots-Irish immigration. My beautiful wife is Cuban-American tracing her lineage to The Canary Islands, Spain and the Basque country.  My children have little resemblance to one another (yes, they all came from the same two parents) but bear resemblance to their parents and forbears in many ways. My oldest, my son Brendan, realizes the absolute proof of this European-Caribbean-American blend: he enjoys both root beer and malta, the characteristic fizzy, sugary beverages of his parents. Trust me, if you have ever tasted both and did not grow up with the presence of both drinks, taste the one that is foreign. You will understand that DNA proves nothing. I think the US Census should recognize a new ethnic category: The Root Beer/Malta (RBM) population.