Could DNA Testing Reduce Racism?

The DNA test results of Nobel Laureate Dr. James Watson has put him in an awkward position. Last week Sunday December 9, 2007 his DNA test result was broadcast in the media for all the world to see. The results showed that the esteemed doctor is of 16% African stock. Oh yes – you read right. Now that you have stopped laughing read on..

Science and Racism
The awesomely brilliant Dr. Watson, caused quite a stink in the media around October of this year when he posited (not for the first time) that Africans are less intelligent than their white counterparts. And the basis of Dr. Watson’s claim? Genetic testing of course. He based his racist conclusion on scientific(?) tests.

Now we all know how much weight science carries in ‘intelligent circles’. The minute you try to put forth a case, you had better come with your empirical data. So the erstwhile “Jim” as he’s fondly called, used his scientific wizardry and arrived at his offensive conclusions. And offensive or not, the 79 year old geneticist has brilliance, experience and science to back his claims.

Science Meets Justice
Dr. James Watson has had a meeting with justice. I wonder how many others would be equally silenced by their DNA test results. Imagine your sand castle tumbling down when you thought you were white only to discover that you are “coloured”.

Now dear Jim will have to ‘eat crow’. No not Jim Crow. But that’s another story – no doubt aided by racist theories like Dr. Watson’s. But how can the brilliant doctor retract his scientifically proven claim NOW that he has discovered that he might have had a great grandparent who was Black? And not only that but 9% of his DNA also suggests he had an Asian ancestor in there somewhere.

As I see it, the goodly doctor can do one of two things. He could claim it was the African part of him that made him talk such foolishness and he could support that with his findings on black inferior brain power. Or he could come down off his high horse (that must have thrown him on the head at some point) and retract his claims and become an advocate to stamp out racism.

Could DNA Testing Eradicate Racism
DNA testing could very well be the answer to silence some bigots and racists in our world. Oh that would be wonderful! However, another doctor, busted my bubble before I could revel too long in such a glorious thought of an end to racism and the beginning of “world peace”.

Arthur Caplan commented on Watson’s test results arguing that one should not put too much stock on these results. He claims that there is just too much room for error in genetic test results. Now I won’t scoff (too much) at the wisdom in this bio-ethicist’s words of caution.

Yet, (Deep sigh)…why is it when something this monumental breaks we get the pundits telling people to hold strain. Come on! No one says hold strain when drugs are being patented and products are being developed based on science, genetics and race. So why hold strain now, when we could all find out we are ONE big family. Bigger than Sister Sledge!

No, we can’t let the Bible tell us that. You see because some of us are intelligent, we need science to tell us we are all related.

DNA Test Results And The Crumbling Of “Fabricated Worlds”
I wonder who has something to lose (or gain) finding out their ancestry is Black or White?

Some like Dr. Caplan believe that ‘race’ classifications, perhaps like ‘gender’ are fabrications; constructs of society for various reasons important to our survival.

I like many Jamaicans know that we are mixed up with plenty or little of something in there with our African heritage. Some have a little Asian, a spatter of Chinese, A dollop of African, and a spoonful of British, Scottish, Irish and even German blood. We really don’t sweat it anymore when we see people with black skin with non-contact lens green eyes. We know a little something else is in there somewhere.

I don’t sweat it. I don’t need DNA testing to tell me I’m a mixed-breed something. I only have to look at my grand-parents and I know that DNA wise as it relates to my ancestry I’m not 100% anything. However, I am proud to claim my mostly % African heritage and I am 100% against racism. I’m genetically intolerant of racists and bigots who claim racial superiority over another.

Maybe that’s why I have to be saying so many prayers since last week, because every time I see Dr. Watson I smile. (I confess).

I can’t help myself. As we would say in Jamaica, “A Good. Cock mout kill cock!” [Translation: Serves him right. The rooster's crow exposed his whereabouts. He (the rooster) was located, killed, plucked, cooked and served. With dumplings!]

Tell me this, if it were affordable would you do genetic testing to find out your ancestry? What would you do if you found out that according to genetic classification you are Black or that your ancestors were White?

Smiling while I pray..
Marvia