Re: Early Amerind assimilation (Was: Re: Romans in the New World?)
Peter Bromfield (peter@ren.er.usgs.gov)
Wed, 14 Aug 1996 13:09:56 GMT
Matt Silberstein wrote:
>
> Peter Bromfield <peter> wrote:
>
> >You must understand that the system of classifying people as 'caucasian' or
> >'negro' is based on white dominance or superiority. Consider this: People from
> >the Caucasious Mountain area are classified as 'caucasians', yet genetically
> >they have more in common with 'negros'. The white people of northern
> >Scandinavia are farther from being descended from people in the Caucasius
> >Mountains than are the Ethiopians and Somailis. Medeterraneans are classified
> >as 'white', yet genetically they are closer to the African 'Negros' than the
> >people from the far reaches of northern Scandinavia (who are REALLY white).
>
> What is the standard you use? From your posts it seems to me that you
> use skin color as the sole determinate. Is that true? If so, how dark
> is Black rather than White? Do you have an objective standard or is it
> something you know when you see it.
The point i'm trying to make is that the modern-day classification
system is NOT objective.
>
> >>What's this got to do with the 'Moors'? Also, maybe we should consider, that
> >>there are other ethnic groups than just black and white. If you lineup an
> >>European, ad Arab, and an African, you'll clearly find that the Arabs features
> >>are closer to the European than the African
>
> >For people far moved away from reality this is true. In Hollywood they make
> >white characters play the parts of Arabs they have them wear a stupid-looking
> >long noses and die their skin light-brown. If you actually visited Saudi
> >Arabia, and other gulf countries you would discover that many of these people
> >look like African-Americans. If you watch T.V., they like to feed into white
> >supremacy, so ofcourse they make them look white.
>
> So why, if we need to divide people into groups, do we only have Black
> and White? Can we have other groups?
Yes, but the vast majority of these 'other' groups are 'black' if we are
objective about it.
>
> >>- despite his skin being bronze,
> >>but then again the Greeks are slightly darker than the English too).
>
> >Do you think an Arab or a Greek would be welcome at a Ku Klux Klan meeting? If
> >not then why should we call them 'white' or 'caucasian'?
>
> Nor would a Jew or a Cathloc. Would you call them White?
No offense, but there are Black Jews and Cathlocs.
-Peter
>
> -------------------------------------------------------
> I would sooner believe a yankee professor would lie
> than stones would fall from the heavens.
>
> Thomas Jefferson
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