Race, "Racism" and Morality

Submitted by Michael S, Mar 16, 2017 at 06:44

Hi, Robert

Thank you for your information and clarification. I never knew that the term "racism" dates back only to 1902. That does go along with my main argument, namely, that the idea of "racism" being some sort of "evil" or "sin", is a modern construction, part of a recent, man-made morality. It will ultimately go the way of other philosophies (which I won't name, lest we get into yet another argument).

I do know that Hitler had some weird racial theories, which I imagine were shared by other people. He was just plain weird altogether -- influenced by Hegel, I understand, and Nietsche with his "Übermensch". Nietsche died as a madman, and so did Hitler. Thank God, they did die.

My own understanding of "races" is purely genetic, based mainly on autosomal DNA, then on yDNA and mtDNA. There certainly are distinct races, in this respect. Autosomal DNA reveals broad races corresponding to:

1. Sub-saharan Africa,
2. N. Africa-W. Eurasia
3. The Americas (pre-Columbian)
4. E. Asia
5. Australia (pre-European), Papuan and Melanesian

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oa3bBts6e3M/Ur6VH_81tpI/AAAAAAAAAUI/JGoPs1UmWyA/s1600/Lazaridis2014_EDF3_K6.png

In terms of mtDNA, all races outside Africa, plus some of the population in E and N Africa, belong to haplogroup L3 and descendants. Groups L0, L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5 are all in Africa, setting the sub-saharan African race quite apart from the rest of us.

Concerning YDNA, again, there is a significant difference between Africa and the rest: Haplotypes A (largely Nilotic and Khoisan) and B (largely Pygmies) are completely in Africa; all the rest, which are descended from Haplogroup C, are spread worldwide: C is concentrated in NE Asia and Oceania; B is in Tibet and Japan, and E is largely in Africa -- although a very small percentage (including Adolf Hitler) is fairly evenly distributed throughout S. Europe.

That's five main races, the same number as there were before DNA was discovered, and found in roughly the same areas. The notion of "subraces", such as the non-existent "Aryan Race", of course, is tenuous at best; and there is not a consistent correlation between sub-races and some other traits once thought connected with them. Jews, of course, are all mixed up genetically, even more than the Germans.

In the US, races are definite legal entities, and are based on self-identification. Several categories are designated, which do not correspond with genetics. South Asians, for instance (which are closer to Europeans than to East Asians), are lumped together with East Asians. Our legal system also distinguishes a "Hispanic" entity, which transcends racial lines. That makes our government anything but "color blind"; but I will not dare to incur a Western-style "fatwah" (we call them "lawsuits"), by claiming that the US government is "racist". Whether they are or not, I DEFINITELY will not make a "moral" judgment against them, based on these things: "Racism" simply is not a sin in my book, and never has been, as I have said before.

By the same token, we cannot simply ignore the "races", whether defined scientifically or not; because our laws are thoroughly enmeshed with the concept: "Black" is definitely "in", if you want preferential treatment for employment, and "White" is definitely "out". The same goes for "Female" and "Male". Political polls regularly separate their results according to races; and certain behaviors (such as voting Democrat) are definitely linked to them. Does that mean that "racism" is alive and well? Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn -- it's not part of my morality.

God bless and keep you, Robert.

Shalom shalom :-)

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