[DrCaleb]

I read a story, and with all the race based strife lately, I had to as the question.

"Is a person defined by where they are born, who their parents are, or how they look?"

I ask, because of the horrendous murders going on in Africa of Albino people. I look at this person, and ask - what makes them "Black?".




https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-afr ... type=share

[raydan]

DNA

[llama66]

Race is an artificial construct. All humans alive are of the Species Homo Sapien Sapien. Skin variations are just evolutionary responses to environment.

[DrCaleb]

raydan raydan:

DNA

If it were differences in DNA, we couldn't reproduce. It would be like a Horse and Donkey mating, where the offspring is sterile.

llama66 llama66:

Race is an artificial construct.

This is my leaning. We are products of localized tribes who end up looking similarly because of reinforced gene pools. Now that was can go anywhere in the world on a whim, those localizations are irrelevant.

This is well known to genetics. So I think at this point, if you discriminate based on race, it's your own damn fault.

[bootlegga]

llama66 llama66:

Race is an artificial construct. All humans alive are of the Species Homo Sapien Sapien. Skin variations are just evolutionary responses to environment.

Yep, well said.

[raydan]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

raydan raydan:

DNA

If it were differences in DNA, we couldn't reproduce. It would be like a Horse and Donkey mating, where the offspring is sterile.

Are you saying that your DNA is the same as mine?

I know we can't reproduce, but still.

[DrCaleb]

raydan raydan:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

raydan raydan:

DNA

If it were differences in DNA, we couldn't reproduce. It would be like a Horse and Donkey mating, where the offspring is sterile.

Are you saying that your DNA is the same as mine?

I know we can't reproduce, but still.

It's not exactly the same, but it's close enough that either of us would likely produce healthy children with any random woman not closely related to us.

And actually, we could! Sort of. There has been a viable child produced from 3 parents. One with a genetic defect, one without who's DNA was CRISPR'd to replace the defect and then fertilize an egg from a third person.

[raydan]

Instead of "race", maybe we should call ourselves "breeds".

[DrCaleb]

No. I'm not a dog. 'Race' is just as foolish a concept for them as for us. Dogs can have vastly different looks and manners, yet their offspring are viable. Same with cats.

Housecats can be artificially bred with big cats, and have viable offspring. Although mine thinks she's a black panther.

[herbie]

You heard the fastest spreading Covid is the UK variant?
Limey virus! Presby-pox! English flu!
Let's go out beating and harassing Anglophones.
Kill dee whitemun, Kill heem! (punches self in face)

[Scape]

Race is a construct of colonialism. It could be seen as a type of creed assigned to that era. In the modern era it has little of consequence of ones destiny and even less merit.



In the banana wars the US commanders who were mostly assigned by southern states had little cause to care about local politics and seen everyone as the same and dealt with them accordingly. Thus a 'race' of people was created as it was a label they could use to simply deal with the masses.

[raydan]

Even if we were all the same colour, people would find another reason to hate... sex, religion, sexual preference, political affiliation, language... I'm sure we could find new and interesting reasons to hate if we put our minds to it.

[Scape]

Race is a construct, sentience is not. Self awareness will eradicate racism.

[DrCaleb]

raydan raydan:

Even if we were all the same colour, people would find another reason to hate... sex, religion, sexual preference, political affiliation, language... I'm sure we could find new and interesting reasons to hate if we put our minds to it.

That is our nature though. It is a survival instinct, to not trust what is different.

People say racism is taught to the young, but the young are the most racist xenophobic creatures imaginable. It has to be unlearnt. We have to learn to ignore our natural biases.

[herbie]

raydan raydan:

Even if we were all the same colour, people would find another reason to hate... sex, religion, sexual preference, political affiliation, language... I'm sure we could find new and interesting reasons to hate if we put our minds to it.

Well said. Always thought that about Jews. Unless they dressed different, you saw them go to a Synagogue or they told you they were jewish, how the hell would you know? That's probably what scared the Nazis most.
Favorite sarcastic rant (a la my Dad) is
Doze peeple ain't like us. Day go to the 11:00 service. Don't even dress up and go to IHOP afterwards. Don't be marrying one of them.