I realized I rambled. Here’s the short version…. Has anyone seen this PBS Special?

I found this on the heels of reading this from CNN today….. for the first time in my life, I clicked on an ad. Funny.“There is only one true race – The Human race”

Long version:

I remember getting so much crap for talking about this back in 05… but the nature of race *GENETICALLY* is that it doesn’t exist. Genetic variation within subgroups has created dissimilarity to the extent if you examine 2 Asian sets of DNA, and 2 Hispanic sets of DNA, the two within a race or more genetically different than between one each of the two separate “races”. IE – we are more similar than dissimilar. We are more alike who is “different” from us than people who are our same color. I love it. It means a fat southern white racist is more genetically similar to a black man than another white man.

In a landmark paper, Richard Lewontin identified that most of the variation (80-85%) within human populations is found within local geographic groups and differences attributable to traditional “race” groups are a minor part of human genetic variability (1-15%)” (the fallacy is about whether you can or can not taxonomize race… Edwards suggests that there is corollary data that will allow you to do so. It does not dispute that most variation is within similar human populations)

I LOVE IT.

However…. the illusion of race, as PBS puts it, still might touch a nerve because *SOCIALLY* race is a bitch and people judge other people in a knee jerk, tribalist fashion…. and anyone that isn’t luck enough to suffer from White Privilege will ABSOLUTELY let you know race exists. Big time.

SO.. the question: DID ANYONE SEE THIS PBS SPECIAL?

MORE IMPORTANTLY: Does anyone thing we are at the threshold of understanding this is the *HUMAN* race… and we can begin to transcend these arbitrary definitions or presuppositions that people have? Just like the nature of vilifying two gay people for being in love, I am thinking that our grandchildren will be ashamed of these attitudes, and make jokes to deal with the dazzled disbelief that these opinions ever existed?

There was a law and order episode in the mid 90’s where Robinette (I am dating myself) said “Don’t tell me that tearing down a 200-year old justice system, no matter how flawed, is going to alter the consciousness of a society. Now, we’re past the separate drinking-fountain stage. We’re past legal discrimination. We’re at the hearts and minds stage. And believe me, there’s no quick fix.”

I notice in the last 10-15 years, more and more kids have no concept of race being “different”, rather than just “that’s another human” (unless their parents teach them hate). I know SF is a bubble…. but what are your thoughts?

Is it going to get better? I am not always that optimistic, and I think it might. What say you, gentle readers?

(I want to see this SOOoooo bad)

About Uncle Fishbits

I'm.. just this guy, you know?

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