Says who?
www.cartage.org.lb
"Unlike the typological and populational models, the
clinal model does not result in the definition of distinct groups or races of people."
Page Not Found | Yale University(koenig).pdf
YALE JOURNAL OF HEALTH POLICY, LAW, AND ETHICS
The Meanings of Race in the New Genomics:
Implications for Health Disparities Research
Sandra Soo-Jin Lee, Ph.D.,* Joanna Mountain, Ph.D., and Barbara A.
Koenig, Ph.D., (2001)
"In this paper we provide a strong critique of the continued use of race as a legitimate scientific variable. We offer an historical analysis of how the concept of race has changed in the United States and discuss the reification of race in health research. We discuss how genetic technology has been deployed in proving racial identity, and describe the consequences of locating human identity in the genes. The implications of the continued use of race in the new genomic medicinein particular the creation of racialized diseasesis highlighted. We warn about the consequences of a shift toward population-based care, including targeted genetic screening for racially identified at-risk groups, including the potential for stigmatization and discrimination. A less commonly identified hazard is the epistemological turn towards genetic reductionism. We suggest that the application of a nive genetic determinism will not only
reinforce the idea that discrete human races exist, but will divert attention from the complex environmental, behavioral, and social factors contributing to an excess burden of illness among certain segments of the diverse U.S. population. The intersection of the genomics revolution with the health disparities initiative should serve as a catalyst to a long overdue public policy debate about the appropriate use of the race concept in biomedical research and clinical practice."
"The widely accepted consensus among evolutionary biologists and
genetic anthropologists is that biologically identifiable human races do not exist; Homo sapiens constitute a single species, and have been so since their evolution in Africa and throughout their migration around the world.18 Population genetics provides the best evidence for this conclusion: The genetic variation within a socially recognized human population is greater than the genetic variation between population groups."
Given that assumption, you can't tell blue from red on a spectrum since colors are distributed clinally. You can visually tell red from orange easily, but you probably would be hard pressed to tell exactly where one began and another ended. By your reasoning, we can't tell blue from red and this is a ridiculous proposition.
Ahh, but we aren't talking about seperating colors now are we? While clinal models show that there is some genetic differences coresponding with geography, it is usually
discontinuous. Never mind the fact that human populations have been migrating for ages. Look at a clinal map! Are you suggesting that those areas of high incidence for B blood allele correspond with a "race"? Or hemoglobin S clinal distributions correspond with a "race"? You realize that many of these groups overlap? Of what use is the use of a clinal model distiniction for "race" if they overlap? The best that can be said is that there is the possibility of regional genetic differences when diagnosing a medical condition but you'd have to be careful in classification because of the amount of discontinuities.
Take a look at the skyrocketing rates of diabetes among many indigenous people and the rates of hypertension among African-Americans. Mismatching the environment to the people is a lethal combination for many minorities.
If it were only so simple as to assume that ALL African-Americans had high rates of hypertension or that ALL indigenous populations (by the way I am assuming you are talking about Native Americans and not all indigenous populations) have skyrocketing rates of diabetes. What is the cause for these problems? Genetic? Possibly but certainly not for ALL. Is hypertension just an effect relating to their environment in the U.S? Racial biases that lead to increased poverty risk would make a lot of people hypertensive.
Is there a genetic disposition for diabetes among Native Americans or just a penchant for Mountain Dew? I'd be surprised if there isn't a skyrocketing rate for diabetes among MOST americans regardless of ethnicity.
fixed url to keep page from becoming too wide - The Queen
[This message has been edited by AdminAsgara, 10-29-2003]