'I have a genetic dream'

Posted: Monday, January 21, 2008 12:07 AM by Alan Boyle

It's been almost 40 years since a great man lost his life, essentially because he had a dream of racial equality. As America celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day today, there's been a resurgence of interest in the issue of race - not only because a black man is a serious contender for the presidency, but also because scientific trends have raised new questions about the concept of race.

On one side, we have DNA pioneer James Watson's comments about potential correlations between ethnicity and intelligence - comments that sparked the biggest controversy in Watson's controversial career. On the other side, we have genomics maverick J. Craig Venter's observation that "race is a social concept, not a scientific one."

This year's HapMap genetic survey adds to the picture's complexity, noting that there are links between geographical origins and genetic traits, ranging from your vulnerability to diseases to your vulnerability to underarm wetness. Just as we're getting over the idea that your skin color defines who you are, researchers are pointing out that genetics can play a role in defining what you will become.

When it comes to higher functions, however, the nature-vs.-nurture argument comes to the fore. If one geographical population behaves differently from another, is it really a case of genetic differences, or rather of cultural differences? New research indicates that the pull of cultural values can be surprisingly powerful, potentially leading to changes in the wiring of the brain.

Such findings reinforce what Martin Luther King (and J. Craig Venter) said: Much of what we think of as racial differences have to do with social differences instead. When populations are isolated, genetic variations and environmental factors tend to take those populations down separate paths. That's how some of our ancestors happened to end up lighter-skinned than others.

Today, we're dealing with the multimillion-year hangover from those differences, as well as our hard-wiring for "us vs. them" tribalism. I have a dream that a deeper understanding of genetics will finally help us bridge the gap.

I'm out of the office today, but to help bridge the gap to my next posting, here are some Web offerings that touch upon race and genetics:

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Comments

I am well nigh convinced, race is a social concept. And sub-Saharan Africa's abject failure to cope with modernity is just a coincidence, as is China's rise to world power status. All we need is a "deeper understanding of genetics" and those bad ole' redneck tribalists will disappear, and Martin Luther King jr. will return (at least in spirit) to rule the land.

Brian, Long Beach, Ca. (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 2:37 AM)

"we're dealing with the multimillion-year hangover from those differences" - Really? All differentiation in our species has occurred within the last 100,000 years since our species did not exist before that. There were certainly other hominids but our species originated in Africa from an isolated population and then dispersed from there. For example, white skin did not arise until only about 20-30 thousand years ago when Homo Sapiens expanded into northern Europe. Before that all humans were dark-skinned. Correct? Maybe I misunderstood what you mean to imply from "multimillion-year hangover".

Johnny, San Diego, CA (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 3:11 AM)

Race and intelligence are strongly correlated. This is fact. That doesn't mean discrimination and prejudice are justified. But denial is not a productive way to settle differences.

Rationality (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 5:37 AM)

Read the article you posted as evidence of the purportedly powerful effect of environment on brain wiring. They don't control for ethnicity, and the question of strength of alignment with their cultural values is decidedly ineffectual in answering the nature/nurture question. Naturally, an East Asian who's more innately in tune with his population's predisposition will be more adapted to it.

Given the established differences in size and shape of East Asian and Caucasian brains, I think you would agree that the most parsimonious, predictive, descriptive, and disprovable hypothesis is that the differences are congenital rather than acquired.

Matt Parrott, Indianapolis, Ind. (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 6:56 AM)

I remember reading about the "discovery" of the fact, through the understanding of DNA, that we, all people of every race had came from the same pregnant woman.
When I read this I was very amused. because every little child who learned of the story of Adam and Eve already believed this to be true.
Of course in the same article I was reading of this great scientific find, the author had to add that this didn't mean that the bible story was true. You see right away opinion had to find it's way into science. Not science but opinion.
There is an age old argument about the blood line birth vs environment.Which of these makes the man. There is an amusing musical most are familiar with about Eliza Doolittle. Could she become a "proper" lady?
If we are to observe life around us we will see the truth.However if we flavor that observation with bias then we will be blind to the truth.
The potential for all of us to be alike is very unlikely. However we can all be very similar.

Steven F> Durst (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 7:23 AM)

Under the new discovery that culture rewires the brain, should we continue with "separation of Church and State?" After all Church is culture that influences behavior virtually in all walks of life. Won't good Church lead to good culture?

And if the same wiring in the brains of the mother and father get transferred to the brain of the child (does science agree?) why not encourage 'good Church?'

Mohideen Ibramsha, Washington, DC (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 7:44 AM)

Many anthropologists believe that race is a social rather than biological construct. If race were a scientific construct we would be able to flesh out clear cut definitions, and that has not yet been possible dispite attempts.

Robin (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 7:45 AM)

"When populations are isolated, genetic variations and environmental factors tend to take those populations down separate paths. That's how some of our ancestors happened to end up lighter-skinned than others."

Environmental factors cannot change inherited skin pigmentation any more than cutting off rats tails can produce tail-less rats.

Surely you are not suggesting that Lamarckism has credence???

Earl Paige, Atlanta, GA (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 7:58 AM)

Who ever said that it was NOT okay to be different? And if we are different, some with be superior, while others, inferior, according to their genetics. Others with be inferior (or superior) due to their culture. I can remember being told by my peers in high school that reading literature was "white" and I should not do it. That making A's in Algebra and Trig was somehow not cool since my skin was dark. That doing my homework made me a second class black man. It is okay that I succeeded academically while those around me failed. And while I would readily admit that some of my success was probably genetic, as much of it was cultural. It is okay that I will amass wealth because of my college degree while my former classmates will live in government housing. My parents refused to allow me to succumb to the gang/prison mentality that affected/infected many around me. On this day when I remember the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I celebrate the fact that I CAN be different.

Earl Paige, Atlanta, GA (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 8:06 AM)

I seriously doubt this will make it past the censors, but please Google "race-specific bioweapons."

Jockomo, Baltimore, MD (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 8:25 AM)

Your post and links help point to the growing complexity and intricacies involved in understanding contemporary issues of race. Thank you for your informative, sensitive and balanced handling of this often contentious topic.

Gabriel Alexander, Haarlem, The Netherlands (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 8:29 AM)

Uh… Obama's father is an African man from Kenya and his mom is a Protestant white woman from the East Coast... So why is he a "black man ... contender for the presidency"?

Tyrus (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 8:53 AM)

I think 80% of what we are told is science is just a way to keep so called smart people employed and has no relevance on anything.

I'll leave it up to you to determine what makes up the 80% chunk of uselessness.

Mr. Professor (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 9:25 AM)

BINGO! "Much of what we think of as racial differences have to do with social differences instead." Anyone involved in IQ testing can tell you that the tests are, in large part, a measure of cultural and linguistic facility and deeply affected by status as economically disadvantaged. That they are biased in this areas is evidenced by the fact that in schools that are culturally and linguistically diverse with high ELL populations and economically disadvantaged students, IQ scores have to be adjusted to allow for these factors and even then, you have to provide additional evidence that cultural, linguistic, and economic factors could not have impacted on the students' scores or the Office of Civil Rights will be knocking on your door.

Melody Pierson (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 9:27 AM)

I often hear it said in this election cycle that Obama is "the first black man to be a serious contender for the presidency". But that needs a qualifying phrase: Obama is the first black man who is adequately non-threatening to the ruling elites to survive being a serious contender for the presidency. MLK wasn't assassinated so much because he wanted racial equality, but because he was talking about economic justice for blacks and whites.

We must never lose sight of the fact that the entire political landscape of the last half-century in the United States has been determined by a series of brutal murders of every leader who might get in the way of the fascist agenda being rammed down our throats. Senator Paul Wellstone is the most recent. Who will be next? When will we arrest and prosecute the highest members of this cabal?

Tom Ness (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 9:57 AM)

The mainstream media and the liberal elite simply ignore or vilify any facts that conflict with their multiracial, egalitarian aims. Just Google Glayde Whitney, Arthur Jensen, and Philippe Rushton for some very un-PC scientific facts on the subject of human races. You won't be sorry!

Kevin Shifflet (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 10:19 AM)

You can tell this guy writes for a sanitized source of information. People who delight in the use of their own maternal tounge are always suckers for the most popular opinion.

Whoever J. Craig Venter is, he should take up house painting. Genetics has always been the most dominant influence in the "Nature" vs "Nurture" debate. This has been formally known for more than 100 years. Communism preaches otherwise just to screw things up.

James Seymour Dallas Texas (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 10:36 AM)

Nice summary, except you missed the best argument for our deep equality! There's no "multimillion-year hangover". Every one of us stem from a band of perhaps 1,200 individuals living in Africa 60,000 years ago. This is a blink of the eye in evolutionary terms. https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/atlas.html

Werner John, Hadley, MA (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 10:58 AM)

To preface, I think that all humans are equal in that they have inherently equal rights. But it is ridiculous to say that when the heritage and ethnicity of different races from different geographies are linked to hundreds of thousands of years of different evolutionary forces, they will end up being identical. It is ridiculous to say that different races have different facial structure, different skin tone, different genetic susceptibilities to diseases, but the mean of their intelligence levels would be identical.

The media is now reduced to pandering only to people's knee jerk reactions. Anytime facts come out and support an unpopular opinion, the media will just wash those facts. Any science which proves a genetic correlation between ethnicity and intelligence will just be branded as racism... just like how Galileo's science was branded heresy.

Shaw (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 11:05 AM)

I have a genetic dream too. I dream that Africans will continue to intermarry with whites and have scads of childrens until one day there will be no such thing as Africans. Then we can all have a celebration and go forward.

cecil nims (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 11:19 AM)

I think perhaps Mr. Boyle should stay 'out of the office'... This is not the time to be stirring a pot you can't handle. The pot is boiling over as it is, and I think perhaps you should keep your hands to yourself on this pot Mr. Boyle. We don't need more elements adding to the confusion and mistrust and misunderstandings that abound at this time. Suffice it to say, as with dogs: some are schnauzers some labradors some collies... but none the less all dogs... And so with humans,.. different traits different appearances but ALL humans ALL senient beings ALL in the same pot boiling together.

Manuel Colunga-Hernandez (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 11:20 AM)

If common wisdom seems to say that African Americans make better athletes, is that more or less racist than some guy saying race plays a role in intelligence. You can't have one without the other.

Jason, Tulsa, OK (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 11:53 AM)

I don't mean to throw cold water on MLK's dream, but so what if we are genetically equal? There are cultural differences, which are, and have always been, the real problem in achieving equal treatment.

Darnfinger (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 12:32 PM)

I'm surprised the discussion does not include epigenetic factors that affect gene expression. As a start, consider effects of the gestational nutritional experience of progeny born to malnourished mothers.
Findings in progeny of mothers who conceived during the Dutch 1944-45 winter famine, and during the Chinese "great leap forward" famine clearly indicate adverse effects on brain function.

Harold H Sandstead, Galveston, TX (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 12:37 PM)

As a scientist and former science instructor, I thank you for this article. This is a concept that seems difficult to get across to most people. As I consider going back into teaching chemistry and biology, I hope to instill a sense of race as a social concept and that we are all related to one another. Until people understand that, I don't think we will make much progress. Thanks again for a great article.

Susan Melton-Piper, Whiteville, TN (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 1:05 PM)

There is a 100% correlation between our genetic heritage and our native (or born-with) type of intelligence. This is, in fact, totally obvious if you think about it for 10 seconds. The reason why this sounds vaguely offensive is because of a bad meme that, despite all sorts of problems with it, was extant for centuries: the belief that skin color completely determines race (which it might), and that race completely determines genetic heritage (which is also somewhat true.) Where it falls down is in the third link: genetic heritage can be said to consist of two things [a] physical genetic heritage and [b] mental genetic heritage. Whereas evolutionary needs forced our physiques into narrow corridors and allowed for the emergence of racial characteristics, it did not such thing for our mentalities. So you will have really dumb black people, and really dumb Japanese, and really smart black people and really smart Japanese etc. etc. etc.

Byron Raum, Beverly Hills, CA (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 1:16 PM)

Don't underestimate the power of tribalism. All the genetic commonality in the genome won't make us get along with one another. We may be one species, but we are far from one culture.

James Buchanan, Laurel, MD (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 1:25 PM)

GOD HAS BEEN HERE BEFORE. THEN WITH LUCY, THRU THE EONS, THEN NEANDERTHAL 200,000 YEARS AGO. CRO-MAGNON 50,000 YEARS AGO. MODERN MAN 20,000 YEARS AGO. EVEN AFTERWARDS AND MORE RECENTLY A FEW TIMES SINCE PRODUCING MORE LOCAL AND REGIONAL VARIATIONS BY FURTHER TINKERING WITH THE HUMAN GENOME AND EVEN EPINOME! NEXT TIME WE'LL ALL BE TRANSFORMED AND TRULY LIVE LIKE HEAVEN ON EARTH AND EVERYBODY WILL LOVE EACH OTHER BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE BEEN REMADE IN HIS/THEIR IMAGE.

OAGUS A VELASCO (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 2:52 PM)

Race and intelligence strongly correlated?? get out-o-town.

Our brain cells are all made out of the same stuff and connected the same way and do not differ in numbers. HOW you use those brain cells is no more better or worse between races than within races. Get a GRIP !

Are blacks more musical than whites? Depends on what you mean by musical.

Are Asians more smarter at math than whites? You could never know for sure. There are "mentally challenged" and behavioural similarities in every race. I really don't know why this is even an issue still.

Thomas Ashby, Calgary (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 3:07 PM)

I recently read an article that said analysis of the human genome shows we humans as a species have remarkably little genetic variation, given that there are over 6 billion of us and we have world-wide distribution. We show far, far less genetic diversity than practically any other species that weights more than a few ounces that's presently alive on the Earth. Further, only about 10% or so of what little diversity we do have is accounted for by variations between so-called "races," or regional populations.

I think it's pretty hard to justify saying that there's any truly significant genetic difference among the "races" of humanity at all, when a small troupe of chimpanzees will likely have more genetic variation among themselves than the whole of the human species does!

S.E. Burns, Knoxville, TN (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 3:42 PM)

Earl Paige, Atlanta, GA [[Environmental factors cannot change inherited skin pigmentation any more than cutting off rats tails can produce tail-less rats. ... Surely you are not suggesting that Lamarckism has credence???]]

The difference in pigmentation is explained by standard Darwinian natural selection theory. Sunlight causes the skin to produce vitamin D. There is less total sunlight on average in northern latitudes than in Africa, so people with lighter skins produce more of the needed vitamin D, which made lighter skin a survival trait when human populations moved from Africa to Europe and Asia.

In Africa, people with darker skin can produce sufficient vitamin D from sunlight and are also less prone to skin cancer, which is a consequence of getting too much sun, so there was no survival value in having light skin there.

There is absolutely no evolutionary reason to think that skin color has any bearing on intelligence whatsoever. Environment and culture can affect the hard-wiring of the developing brains of children that overwhelm any genetic factors in the general populations.

Intelligence is a trait that has survival value in all climates, so there's no reason to claim there's even an indirect relationship to the natural selection value of different skin colors in different climates.

If "race" has any meaning at all, skin color has little to do with it. There is no single "black" race in Africa. The Watusis, Zulus, West Africans, Ethiopians and, of course, the Pygmies, all have unique physical characteristics that are more significant than the fact that they all tend to have darker skin color than Europeans and Asians.

Houston (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 3:43 PM)

Race is a result of variation in isolation which if continued leads to speciation as noted in Darwin's finches. One variation is not any more or less intelligent than another (nature vs nurture). In modern society we have what is known as genetic mixing which reunites divergent strains and tends to improve upon the original overall. Only time will tell.

Ed, Montrose, PA (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 3:46 PM)

There are actually three facets to each individual: genetics, culture or environment, and lastly, but not least, personality. There seems to be 7 distinct personalities added to birth order that create an individual. As a previous poster admits, there is always someone who refuses to go along with the cultural bias and society's typecasting for him/her. Throw in adequate prenatal care and it's anybody's guess what kind of an individual who will get. What we need is: great medical for everyone regardless of income or race or country of origin. Then we need to continue to cross marry until nobody can tell if someone is different or not. It will be the salvation of our humanity. Until then, vote democratic, keep on our leaders to create jobs for everyone, and march right along with the people of every race - together. If you look at the photos from Martin Luther King and his marches, what really stands out that we rarely have today is support from other races. We need leaders who help us be our best towards one another, not leaders who encourage divisiveness.

Tamara Pettinger Brookings, Oregon (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 3:51 PM)

I don't think this has anything to do with genetics. The world just needs more cultural tollerance.

Vanessa, Garland, TX (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 3:55 PM)

Whether or not Americans admit it-- acceptance is contingent upon race. Although the article holds some validity to the human race as a whole, it does not outline social reality. Humans will discriminate against anyone who is different from themselves. With that said, Obama will receive the black vote--because he himself is black, not because he is/is not a good canidate.

***Kira**** Kentucky (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 4:20 PM)

Kira [[Obama will receive the black vote--because he himself is black, not because he is/is not a good canidate. ]]

You could just as well say that McCain, Giuliani, or Clinton will get the white vote because they are white. Maybe you'd be able to think more clearly if the weight of that great big chip on your shoulder wasn't interfering with your concentration.

Houston (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 4:56 PM)

I enjoyed the Comments by Thomas Ashby,
Why the American people are so spellbound by the race issue I will never know. Obama is an American first, and an African 2nd. Hillary is an American first and a woman 2nd.....I guess it's no suprise seeing as how the country was founded by a group of people who worked SO HARD to dissimilate themselves from the rest of the world, this echoes still to this day. Hopefully in 2000 years we will all have the same coloured skin, hair & eyes. Then the government can rule w/out bias.

Richard Harborne, Vancouver BC (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 5:25 PM)

Genetics is a powerful force. It not only determines that certain races/families have characterstics in common, it also distributes many traits randomly. We are not all equally endowed at birth with identical quantities of inborn talents, intellect or beauty. I don't know why it's becoming almost a crime to acknowledge that there ARE differences. If we want perfect equality, I guess it's time to start cloning.

Kathy (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 8:32 PM)

<i>"Such findings reinforce what Martin Luther King (and J. Craig Venter) said: Much of what we think of as racial differences have to do with social differences instead."</i>

This is a false claim, MLK did not "say" this. And it is a false and very immature interpretation of MLK's fundamental message.

What MLK preached was that individuals should be treated fairly as individuals based on merit without regard to their ethnic background or racial appearance.

He did NOT preach that people or groups were 100% identical in their natural talents. This was NOT his message.

And, indeed, current science suggests that individual and, to a weaker extent, group differences in traits like IQ have substantial genetic components.

Regardless of what science says and will say about these questions, you are using poor ethical judgment. By conflating MLK's MORAL message with EMPIRICAL matters of human differences, you foolishly make fair treatment contingent on scientific findings which eventually might not go in the direction you had expected or hoped.

Fair legal and social treatment should not be predicated on everyone being identical in appearance, preferences, and talents. You do no one favors by suggesting otherwise.

Rain And (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 8:56 PM)

MLK's dream, and mine too is that all individuals will have equal representation under the law, receive equal justice under the law and that they will not be denied access to food, shelter, healthcare, or education, or the means to earn a living wage based on arbitrary categories such as skin color, religious affiliation (or lack of it), ethnicity, height, weight, age, etc. His hope and mine is that the concept of "race" will become meaningless and irrelevant. The sooner everybody realizes that there is only one race, the Human Race, the better off this entire planet will be. The sooner we respect each individual as a person, allow each person to realize their potential and develop their capabilities to the fullest, and allow them to be who they are and not who we think they ought to be, the better off EVERYBODY will be. We will have world peace, conquer world hunger, and the world will be a whole lot nicer place to live in. Yes, we are all different, but we are all the same in every way that counts. We all want to live in a safe environment, we all want food to eat and clothes to wear and someplace comfortable to live. We all want love and respect. We all want to feel needed, wanted, and useful.

sgunn (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 9:00 PM)

My goodness, did any of you ever study the concept of prose in high school? You're analyzing this as if it were a researched article. It's little more than intelligent musing reflecting contemporary issues at a general understanding of the level and an offering of brain food.

Paulina, Elgin, IL (Sent Monday, January 21, 2008 11:49 PM)

Dr. George Washington Carver was born a slave and the son of two illiterate slaves. However, he was raised in an environment where educational achievement was strictly enforced. He was strongly encourageded to study and learn. So, when he went to school finally at 12 years old, he was ready for it. So, he reached his full potential and became one of America's greatest scientists. Unless his genetics 'evolved' from an illiterate level to genius scientist level in one generation, there is more to intelligence than genetics. I'd maintain that being successful is a combination of whatever random intelligence level one was born with along with the strength of their heart. I've met and heard of many people who were 'smart' with good grades and high test scores who didn't come close to reaching their potential. They lacked 'heart' and didn't focus and work hard enough. Dr. Carver improved himself greatly because he had heart, and worked hard and learned, which is obvious from reading his biography. So, a great deal of youth would perform academically at an increased level if they put more 'heart' into studying, reading, and focusing at school, and less 'heart' into music, sports, video games, and fun times.

gill head (Sent Tuesday, January 22, 2008 12:01 AM)

Robin stated in the comments that race can't be a scientific concept because there's not a universally understood definition of the races. I'm just curious about that. Does that mean that gender is not a scientific concept because there's no universal definition of male and female? Does that mean that lion and tiger are not scientific concepts because there are ligers?

Matt Parrott, Indianapolis, Ind. (Sent Tuesday, January 22, 2008 7:39 AM)

It is always logical to debate the conception of the human race. If we understand Darwin's findings on evolution and apply that to the human race(s)...we can find a dominate trait as the genetic/physical traits per geographic distribution. On the subject of "intelligence", it can be understood different genetic variation allow for higher probability of increased intelligence, but it is also conceptual to note the ability to increase an individual’s intelligence through "pole-bridging" or mental/pharmaceutical enhancers.

Undergradute Lewis, Owensboro, Kentucky (Sent Tuesday, January 22, 2008 11:24 AM)

I thought that it was always silly to say this race and that race of humans. We are all humans; we can have children together. I would hope that this questionable use of the word "race" would end soon since it hasn't already.

I guess there are those that haven't a clue about the Adam and Eve story. The major point of the story that everyone was supposed to get was that no one person can claim that they had better ancestors than another person. We all came from the same place.

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Tuesday, January 22, 2008 2:47 PM)

Once again I am amazed at the vitriol expressed by the readers of this blog. I thought Mr. Boyle's article was a creative and intelligent way to interject "science" into a day set aside to celebrate the life and tragic martyrdom of a great American. But the comments on his observation truly range from the sublime to the ridiculous. You have only to go back and read the comments on this page to understand how far we have yet to go in our journey. You will find racism and religious fanaticism smeared across this normally science-oriented blog that was intended to recognize the dreams and acheivements of a non-scientist. Shame on you all.

W.A. Nicholson, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Sent Tuesday, January 22, 2008 5:35 PM)

Have any of you ever wondered how being reared by the same parents with the same values and being taught the same basic moral, educational, work ethic, religion and even political ideals, we are so DIFFERENT from each other as siblings. When I was bringing up my own family all of my children were taught the same values that their dad and I wanted to instill in each of them....and you guessed it...they are so far apart from each other on life decisions and personality that I just stand back and say, "What happened to the children we raised?"
It is a highly improbable, if not impossible, height to strive for with others who live among us, with their own family dynamic to deal with, when we can't even say that our own family dynamic is able to unify on any given subject. DIFFERENCES???? You betcha there are diffenences! I used to wonder even as a young adolescent why I was being raised by my own family with my own brothers and sisters. We weren't alike at all and I felt like I had to have been switched at birth by mistake at the hospital. It was just too bizarre.
Perhaps if we can get a grip on our own family dynamic then we may have the hope to begin making progress with our brothers and sisters all around us, at work, at church at business functions and school assemblies. I have and always will keep race out of my friendships. I never see color, race, religion or ethnic background in those that I meet and share my life with. It is totally irrelevant. It doesn't even enter my head to do so. To Senators' Clinton and Obama I say good luck with the nominations and may the best PERSON for the job win and then be able to stand up to all of the promises made and legislature promises and really find a way to unite our country and our peoples to the common good of all. If we never needed it before, we surely need it now.....God Bless America....again.

Linda K. Middle Tennessee (Sent Wednesday, January 23, 2008 4:55 AM)

Why would you guys post that 'horrid' statement by Cecil Nims... but forget mine?? He does need some counseling at the very least...

Christine Tampa, Florida (Sent Thursday, January 24, 2008 12:58 PM)

When I read articles, and comments, along these lines, I'm reminded of any local kindergarten playground. Mankind is still learning about himself and his relationship with others. Culturally and developmentally, we're in kindergarten, learning how to get along (or in many cases not get along) with each other. Each culture is a kid, trying to figure out the other kids, armed with all of the knowledge and ignorance of your average four year old. The difference, however, is that we have no one supervising us, telling us what's right, what's wrong, what's fact, what's not, what's good, what's bad, what works, what doesn't. It's up to the kids to figure it out. And, taking the analogy further, it would seem that the bullies will take over the playground long before the rest of the kids learn enough to stand up for themselves. In another 30 or 40 years, we may actually get to first grade - if the bullies don't kill us off first. DNA and evolution in action.

Phill, San Diego, CA (Sent Sunday, January 27, 2008 7:40 PM)

There will always be some people who feel they are better than others like "ethnocentrism". An example is some politicans feel they are better than the average person, the KKK, Nazis. Like the saying goes, power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

a p garcia (Sent Sunday, January 27, 2008 9:43 PM)

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