LTE: Race and Social Structures

Date: Wed, December 11, 2002 6:02 pm
From: Chisanga Puta
Subject: Letter to the Editor

Dear MR,

Your conclusions that race is not a biological concept, but a “social ctructure” based on “superfical” features( phenotype ) is intellectual dishonesty and completely politically motivated. This is not the first time ideaology has hindered our understanding of science( think back to when people of African descent were considered by scientists, not just kkk/white supremacist, to be genetically inferior to people of European descent. It is now considered politically correct to be “color blind”, so our study of science reflects this, similar to back in the day when it was the norm to consider African-descended people inferior ). The main reasons why scientists claim race has no bioligical significance is because all human beings share 99.9% of the same genes and people can have more in common with someone from another race, genetically, then someone within their own race. This might sound impressive, “scientific”, and convincing that there is no real genetic differences between the races, however, human beings share 20-30% of their genes with common yeast and bacteria, 80% with birds, 90% with non-primate animals, 99% with chimpanzees and just recently discovered, 99% with mice( humans even have the genes that can produce tails ). Since we have 99% in common with mice, for example, there are mice that I have more in common genetically then with other human beings, if you look at all 100% of our genes and not the 1% that makes us a different species. Of course, no one would claim “species is a social contruct “. To classify organisms by their phenotype is only “superficial” when dealing with humans but a lot of other organisms are classified this way( not in terms of species, because a species is any group of organisms who can produce fertile offspring, but with subspecies/race ). If 1% can differentiate humans from a completely different species like mice or chimpanzees, then I’m sure .1% of our genes is actually very significant and can differentiate us as a completely different race w/in a species. Obviously, all human beings belong to the same species=homo sapian sapian and are fully capable of reproducing fertile offspring. I feel often race “deconstructionsists” mistake species with race.There are also other organisms that have evolved into distinct subspecies among themselves in the same time that we have, but that scientists claim is too little time to.Again, the reason for this biased interpretation is purely political in origin, it’s “political correct” to deny the importance of race or even the existance, now. I’m only 17 years old, and isn’t doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize, this is intellectually dishonesty, and I stress the word dishonesty. I hope people reading this letter, if it’s posted, read it with open mind and take what I’m saying into consideration. I don’t want to attack your political convictions, but just to present another perspective on this issue. OneLove