Posted on 08/15/2025 11:09:06 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Documentary maker Mark Laita, who brought attention to the so-called "America's most inbred family", has shared his initial encounter with them.
Laita first filmed the Whittakers from Odd, West Virginia, five years ago and has since returned regularly to provide updates on the family via YouTube.
The Whittaker family's inbreeding began when the offspring of identical twin brothers Henry and John intermarried, leading to generations of inbreeding and resulting in many of their children suffering severe disabilities.
Laita revealed it was initially challenging to gain access to the family as their neighbours were highly protective of them. However, he eventually managed to accompany a police officer to their residence.
(Excerpt) Read more at express.co.uk ...
I went down that rabbit hole shortly after 9/11. At the time, you could Google Middle East consanguinity and get a *LOT* of scientific papers on the subject.
Well, no wonder so many moose limbs are bat shit crazy.
Every time I hear the song “Wonderful Wonderful” by Johnny Mathis I think of that episode still to this day.
Why” Because they are?
Oh, yeah. “Home”. Disgusting. I’ve heard they almost didn’t show that episode because it was so disturbing.
Leading to the erroneous conclusion by many that if severe Inbreeding fosters genetic diseases the opposite is true. When it’s not necessarily.
Importing 50,000 Somalis to Minn or say 250,000 Iraqis to Sweden does NOT ensure good genetics.
In fact some studies show breeding within a generalized racial group produces healthier babies. Crossing greatly different ethnic groups ..say a Zulu with a Norwegian can bring out genetic mismatches or mutations, something known as Outbreeding Depression, one example of many can result in babies having weak immune systems.
Another is racial groups have certain inherent advantage based on their location geographically. Say a Bantu having dark skin protects from the intense sun near the Equator or say the presence of sickle cell gene mutation offers some partial protection from malaria in certain areas of the world, or say Tibetan ability to be more efficient users of O2 at high altitudes etc.
If you can’t keep it in the pants keep it in the family.
MP is criticised for saying that marriage of first cousins is a health problem
A Labour MP has called for a public debate on the genetic risks of marriages between first cousins in Britain's Pakistani community, after reports of an unusually high rate of autosomal recessive disorders among children near her constituency....
Cause you never turn your back on family.
True enough but you also have a high number of birth defects when inbreeding exists, such as with European royal families.
It’s easier to find in-bred in Europe. Anyone who wears a crown.
Especially the English and it wasn’t just nobility. First cousin marriage was a common thing. That culture was continued in West Virginia which is (or was) a large pool of people with English ancestry.
When I was there (decades ago), first cousin marriage was not allowed and I never met anyone who was a product of one. However people openly mentioned ancestors who were related. It was not a scource of shame.
“ Europeans think everyone from the U.S. is inbred.”
We realize the best and brightest all left Europe and came here.
And...what one thing was he haunted by? Article doesn’t say. The inbreeding? That’s the whole point of the article.
Uf they come to Manning, SC they will have that idea validated.
I have watched several YouTube tapes on the Whitakers...They are shocking and sad to say the least....
Note that the Daily Express has an article about Appalachian inbreeding while ignoring what’s been going on in its own backyard for decades.
Historically, marriages between first and second cousins were much more common than they are today. According to a study from FamilyTree.com, it’s estimated that as many as 80% of all marriages in history have been between second cousins or closer. This prevalence was largely due to limited travel and social interaction, leading families to marry within their local communities.
While cousin marriage is less common in many Western societies, it remains prevalent in some parts of the world, particularly in certain regions of the Middle East, South Asia, and North Africa.
Beyond geographical limitations, cultural and social factors also influence the prevalence of cousin marriages. Some cultures value maintaining family wealth and social structures through endogamy, which can involve marrying close relatives.
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