[Vision2020] Race & Genetics in the Genome Era

[Ted Moffett]

It's amazing that human beings are so obsessed with the notion of "race," an
imprecise and misleading concept, based on trivial characteristics of
appearance, resulting in what is mostly a socially constructed fantasy, that
nonetheless is exploited for social/political/economic power and control,
based on these trivial differences.  A large number of so called "white" or
"Caucasian" US citizens would be amazed to discover they have unknown
ancestry from other so called "races."

There is serious doubt about the concept of "race" as a scientifically valid
idea.  Some of the world's leading geneticists, notably J. Craig Venter,
involved in a successful private effort to map the human genome, have
declared race is not a scientific concept.  While the issue is still under
debate in the genetics science community, the fact the science is still
under investigation is reason enough to cease using the concept of "race" as
it is commonly employed, except to expose how it is so misleading and
prejudicial:

http://www.councilforresponsiblegenetics.org/GeneWatch/GeneWatchPage.aspx?pageId=198

>From article sourced at website above:

 *GENEWATCH*

*A SHORT HISTORY OF THE RACE CONCEPT*
By Michael Yudell

--------------
Collins, head of the National Human Genome Research Institute, and Venter,
then President of Celera Genomics, offered their genomic data to the world -
enhancing our understanding of human biology and holding the promise of to
helping public health and medical professionals prevent, treat, and cure
disease. On that day Venter and Collins emphasized that their work confirmed
that human genetic diversity cannot be captured by the concept of race and
demonstrated that all humans have genome sequences that are 99.9% identical.
At the White House celebration Venter said "the concept of race has no
genetic or scientific basis."9 A year later, Collins wrote: "those who wish
to draw precise racial boundaries around certain groups will not be able to
use science as a legitimate justification."10 Yet, since the White House
announcement, there has been an increase in claims that race is a
biologically meaningful classification.
-----------
Closing paragraph from the article quoted above:

It would be silly to think that science will somehow extricate us from a
racial quagmire. Despite advances in scientific thinking on race, racism and
the belief in races persist. Racism is too complicated to be eradicated by
science alone. Nonetheless, scientists do have much to offer to the debate
over the nature of race and racial classification, and we would all be the
better for listening to what they are saying. Geneticists Kelly Owens and
Mary-Claire King recognize this, writing that: "Of course, prejudice does
not require a rational basis, let alone an evolutionary one, but the myth of
major genetic differences across 'races' is nonetheless worth dismissing
with genetic evidence."11
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Another credible attempt to investigate the concept of "race" based on
current science:

http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v36/n11s/full/ng1436.html

*Nature Genetics*  *36*, S13 - S15 (2004)
Published online: ; | doi:10.1038/ng1436 What we do and don't know about
'race', 'ethnicity', genetics and health at the dawn of the genome eraFrancis
S Collins
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Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett

On 9/29/09, keely emerinemix <kjajmix1 at msn.com> wrote:
>
> On the other hand, Nous, laughing at Courtney's posting of the racist Obama
> "Ise Yo' President" while adding another joke of your own -- about the
> knee-slapping hilarity of the President's assassination a mere 20 min. after
> Inauguration -- does tend to convict you.
>
> Tell ya what.  Why don't you come out and strongly condemn Kinism?  I don't
> mean pick out one or two things they believe that aren't horrifically evil
> -- for example, they do believe in the Resurrection, although they appear
> not to have availed themselves of the grace it bespoke, and perhaps they,
> like me, prefer Crest to Colgate.  Why not strongly condemn the "societal
> order" lauded by the neo-Confederates that describes the days when folks
> knew their place, and tell us what possible good can come of association
> with neo-Confederates, especially for the Christian?  Why not acknowledge
> that Joe Wilson's got a real affection for Dixie and the Confederate flag
> that represents racism to thinking men and women, and so maybe his
> intemperate outburst at the President might just be a wee, tiny bit tainted
> by prejudice on his part?  And why not apologize for encouraging Courtney's
> bigotry and adding to it?
>
> In fact, why not join millions of other Christians in lamenting the
> existence of any racism at all, anywhere, at any time, instead of trumpeting
> the apparent fact that "racist" and "racism" didn't exist in the dictionary
> in 1930 -- an omission that wouldn't be too hard to understand, given the
> insular nature of the lexicographers' academe in the early 20th century?
> After all, the term "Kinist" probably hasn't been around forever, either,
> but no one would deny that the English-speaking world has been full of
> so-called "Christians" who believe that exaltation of the "White race" is
> second only to exaltation of the Savior whose Jewishness makes their
> grotesque anti-Semitism more than a little puzzling in both its evil and its
> stupidity.
>
> How about it, Chris?  I'd love to see you not look like a racist.  I don't
> hate you, but I'd love to know you join me in hating racial prejudice and
> acknowledging its cancerous effect on this nation.
>
> Keely
> www.keely-prevailingwinds.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
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