PBS lies in an attempt to prove that race does not exist

[MichaeltheGreat]

Re: PBS lies in an attempt to prove that race does not exist

Originally posted by Caligastia
Another thread by Cal on race.

Sheets in the laundry tonight? Got a couple of holes in the pillowcase? You sure are obsessive about this subject. Or just your choice of trolls and you're pulling everyone's chain for the umpteenth time?


Mitochondrial DNA is used extensively to document genetic differences between populations of individuals. Race is an alleged group characteristic, so DNA common to entire populations (mitochondrial) is more useful than cellular DNA.

Kirnwaffen - pigmentation differences exist, not race. (Big difference). Even inbreeding and genetic isolation exist. (Kilimanjaro lions ) Still a difference from the idea of X number of distinct groups. The problem with the idea of "race" is that there is no possible set of dividing lines which are consistent. You can take three people who are radically different in skin pigmentation - say Cal, Shaq, and Yo Yo Ma, and come up with some difference, sure. But try to do it with the whole human species, and things break down.

If something can't be defined in a consistent way, it has no scientific use. If it's just a cultural or social convention, then it's not an actual attribute of the people classed as being one race or another, it's an attitude or perception of the people doing the classification. You're right, to the extent you mean "the notion of race exists, that's undeniable.

[Saint Marcus]

I'm dating a "half black" chick who acts "white" and hangs out with "yellows"...

yeah...

who gives a rat's ass about "race"?

[uh Clem]

I get the feeling that Caligastia's obsessed with that "Huge Appendage" gene that he thinks all non-whites possess.

[Az]

Woohoo! Go South American Women! You showed them in the Miss Universe contest were the prettiest girls live!

[Rogan Josh]

There was a similar test on the discovery channel last night, when Eddie Izzard (!) rounded up English northerners and southerners and tested their DNA (actually their Y chromosomes since they are passed down direstly from father to son). They found that the northerners had twice as many genes in common with scandinavians than southerners.

This was supposed to show that England used to be divided into an anglo-saxon part and a 'viking' part, Danelaw. The interesting bit, imo, was that the towns they took them from were both very close to the anglo-saxon/Danelaw dividing line, showing that the populations were rather polarised.

[Solly]

There was a similar test on the discovery channel last night, when Eddie Izzard (!) rounded up English northerners and southerners and tested their DNA (actually their Y chromosomes since they are passed down direstly from father to son). They found that the northerners had twice as many genes in common with scandinavians than southerners.

This was supposed to show that England used to be divided into an anglo-saxon part and a 'viking' part, Danelaw. The interesting bit, imo, was that the towns they took them from were both very close to the anglo-saxon/Danelaw dividing line, showing that the populations were rather polarised.

Might explain why a typical southerner has longer, spiked hair that is blonde-tipped (similar to gay Europeans) and northerners tend to have skin-heads.

[MRT144]

i didnt know the UK was so polorized between skinheads and homosexuals.

[Solly]

It's all the continentals. At least they tend to stop in London, keeping most of the north clean.

[TheStinger]

Originally posted by MRT144
i didnt know the UK was so polorized between skinheads and homosexuals.

Only in Bods mind. He probaly thinks there aren't any Gay people up north

[MRT144]

i can just imagine bods leading a hitler youth march through the roads scotland.

[Solly]

"Only in Bods mind. He probaly thinks there aren't any Gay people up north"

Either there are fewer, or southerners are a lot more camp.

[Urban Ranger]

The thing about this "race" business is it has no corresponding biological distinction. The difference between various human races are far smaller than between dog breeds. So some people got black skin, some other have yellow skin. And?

[Solly]

Because it can affect policy decisions; ie reverse racism, etc.

[Kirnwaffen]

Kirnwaffen - pigmentation differences exist, not race. (Big difference).

Guess it depends largely on how deeply you define race. I've never defined it in a way that goes beyond skin color, so I guess I've never quite understood why this debate is necessary.

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by The Mad Monk


...and even the definition of what constitutes a species can be rather nebulous.

Run a search on "ring species" if you want to see what I mean; gulls, in particular, are a real doozy.

cheers , gull were the subject of the first link I googled, very interesting