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sorry to post again so soon, but this article on MSNBC was simply too provocative for me not to comment on it, though i'll have to keep my comments brief because i need to get up, shower, and leave soon so i can get in some good work time before my lunch date.
so apparently someone did an analysis of james watson's publicly available DNA sequence, and "determined" that 16% of his genes likely came from a black ancestor. now...part of me thinks this is a very rare kind of poetic justice. you may recall that watson recently resigned his post at cold spring harbor labs because of the publicity that sprang up concerning some racist, specifically denigrating to blacks, statements he made. but then, it would be ludicrous now to say that this 79 year old man who has enjoyed white male privilege his entire life "is black." he's not. the thing we call "race" isn't genetic, it's a social construction--and i think that's the more basic point that this "revelation" about watson's DNA supports. (also, as the article alludes, because of how race-DNA claims are made, i.e. the lab evidence upon which such claims are based, it's not really possible to say that watson is "16% black.") [for more on this issue, check out this article by amy harmon from the new york times.]
still, i kinda want to send watson a copy of mark twain's pudd'nhead wilson as a holiday gift.
so apparently someone did an analysis of james watson's publicly available DNA sequence, and "determined" that 16% of his genes likely came from a black ancestor. now...part of me thinks this is a very rare kind of poetic justice. you may recall that watson recently resigned his post at cold spring harbor labs because of the publicity that sprang up concerning some racist, specifically denigrating to blacks, statements he made. but then, it would be ludicrous now to say that this 79 year old man who has enjoyed white male privilege his entire life "is black." he's not. the thing we call "race" isn't genetic, it's a social construction--and i think that's the more basic point that this "revelation" about watson's DNA supports. (also, as the article alludes, because of how race-DNA claims are made, i.e. the lab evidence upon which such claims are based, it's not really possible to say that watson is "16% black.") [for more on this issue, check out this article by amy harmon from the new york times.]
still, i kinda want to send watson a copy of mark twain's pudd'nhead wilson as a holiday gift.
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