Actually, taxonomists can't even agree amongst themselves on the defining characteristics for the so-called" races", let alone with physical anthropologists or geneticists.
Where is the dividing line? They can't answer that question. What "race" is a Melungeon, Brass Ankle, Redbone, Metis, or Roma? What "race" are the Lumbee when compared to Arapaho? What "race" is a Welsh individual when compared to a Serb? What "race" are the descendents of the Xinjiang area when compared to Eastern Chinese population groups? To what "racial" classification do Greeks, Italians and other Mediterranean population groups belong within the commonly used "racial" classifications by taxonomists and other "race is real" true believers? They can't do it consistently, coherently or with any measurable method of demarcation. The new "aha-I-gotcha" fad is to point to fast-twitch muscle groups and claim it's a clear indication of "racial" difference. Funny thing though, fast-twitch muscles are only present in a small minority of the members of the particular population group for which it is supposed to be a defining "racial" characteristic. Then they point to HLA alleles. Funny thing about HLA alleles, there are thousands of combinations which differ within the population groups they are being used to claim as evidence of a common trait. Then there is the "race" is an extended family argument which intentionally neglects the fact that these "extended families" didn't crop up magically in their present locations. The origins of such families, who are being left out of these "extended families" on the basis of skin color, migrated to these locations from Africa well after the establishment of homo sapiens sapiens as the latest incarnation of humanity. It is more of "faith" issue (I know its there, I desperately need it to be there, I just can't prove its there), than a hard science when applied to human population groups. And folks can sometimes get really, really emotional when challenged on these contradictions and their fuzzy logic. "Race" as means of claiming, sorting and identifying human population groups is not much different today from when it started by measuring skulls, noses and hair textures and then claiming three "racial" groups on that basis. It involves pointing, saying "they are different" because X or Y and then attaching a label on that basis, while completely ignoring the fact that those they've placed in said groups do not share such differences uniformly or consistently. __________________________________________________________________ James Landrith <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [EMAIL PROTECTED] cell: 703-593-2065 * fax: 760-875-8547 AIM: jlnales * ICQ: 148600159 MSN and Yahoo! Messenger: jlandrith Taking the Gloves Off - <http://www.jameslandrith.com> http://www.jameslandrith.com The Multiracial Activist - <http://www.multiracial.com> http://www.multiracial.com The Abolitionist Examiner - <http://www.multiracial.com/abolitionist/> http://www.multiracial.com/abolitionist/ __________________________________________________________________ _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of mark robert Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2005 3:03 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [Libertarian] Re: Setting up WWIII!! Syria / Venezuela & More... Taxonomy is not junk science. It might be imperfect science, but no less so than classifying any other subspecies, such as fungi: Amanita muscaria var Formosa. Classifying organisms into distinctive taxonomic groups according to their distinctive features (possible redundancy there) is not racist or prejudiced, but hating or harming or discriminating against one of those groups would be. Science only names and defines differences; "race" or "variety" - same thing. Environmental adaptation? Probably. Very recent? Probably, relatively. But different as a class, nonetheless. Why don't taxonomists divide solely by eye color, etc? Because the differences are/were less regionally consistent, I imagine. Blaming bigotry on taxonomists is kinds like blaming rape on gynecologists. -Mark [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Fair play? Video games influencing politics. Click and talk back! http://us.click.yahoo.com/VpgUKB/pzNLAA/cUmLAA/KlSolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> ForumWebSiteAt http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
