Prove your own ancestry

The Denver Post ^ | June 14, 2005 | Ernesto P. Alvarado

[Millee]

When the University of Colorado asked Ward Churchill to prove his Native-American ethnic identity, it raised the question of what makes a person one race or another.

After all, who is the "we" determining for others who they are? Can someone be Native-American and not be on any tribal roster? Can't individuals be of multiple groups?

In Churchill's case, a group of non-Native professors will decide if he is of a particular ethnic group. Will they begin their process with a self-evaluation of whichever criteria they devise? Should they be asked to first prove their whiteness? Can they?

Can someone decide for you what your ethnic background is and have it listed in a government-approved roster?

[Millee]

A boy can decide he's a boy, a white can decide he/she is black, and a dog can decide he's a cat. Everyone happy now?

[thackney]

"ward" ping

[2banana]

It all depends, which government category gives me the best benefits? - the only reason we even have this conversation...

[thoughtomator]

This is the logical conclusion of race-based law - an official race-determining body.

[anniegetyourgun]

Yep - self-identify into a position of special treatment.....

[AntiGuv]

Me too. I'll be whatever I get paid enough to be! =)

[hispanarepublicana]

a dog can decide he's a cat

[KarlInOhio]

Why do I suspect that the author is the type of person who throws a hissy fit whenever I refuse to fill out racial information on college applications, loans or the census?

[Adder]

This guy is an idiot.

Churchill used his ancestry to claim preferential treatment, secure a job because of his claimed minority status and now, victimhood.
This idiot's logic is a red herring....

The other members of the panel are not claiming that because they are white they should get to decide...

What a bogus bunch of crapola.

[KeyWest]

Between just my wife and I we can claim Native American, African American, Dutch, Scot, English, French, Native Hawaiian, Italian, German, Scandinavian, Russian, and probably some more lurking in there.

But the US gov says we are white.

[SmithL]

Ward IS right. (Ward Connerly, that is).

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I always check "black" on all government forms that ask for race, even though I'm not.

Nobody has ever said a word.

As far as supplying false answers on a federal document, the feds would never want to open that can of worms. The repercussions of losing would create absolute havoc amongst all their Robin Hood schemes.

[fatnotlazy]

When I was a young pup, I think we had three or four choices on most applications and surveys: Caucasian, Black, Asian or Native American. Sometimes I don't think the Native Americans (or in those politically incorrect days, Indian) was often one of the options. Today, I think we have an excess of choices.

I don't suppose too many people really care about race or ethnic origins. I know when I deal with people, I don't really think about ethnicity or ancestry unless it becomes the focus of attention for some reason. I have friends who are African American, but usually I don't think of their race or ethnicity any more than I think of another friend, whose ancestors came from Hungary.

In Ward Churchill's case, I guess it's become an issue because (a) he claimed to be a Native American (that is, a member of an oppressed, downtrodden ethnic group, in his opinion),(b) he is alleged to have fabricated the truth in other areas as well; and (c) he has insulted those who died on 9/11, among other things.

If it's an issue regarding Mr. Churchill, it's because he has made it an issue because of his abhorrent behavior.

[hispanarepublicana]

$159 at http://shops.ancestry.com/product.asp?productid=1025994&shopid=0
~snip~
Ancestry.com offers an innovative way to help solve your genealogical problems. Ancestry.com offers an innovative way to learn about Native American ancestry as well as to help solve your genealogical problems by finding if two people are related. By offering DNA testing specifically designed to answer lineage-related questions, Ancestry.com gives you an individual genetic blueprint (your Ancestral Signature) to help you validate common ancestry with others. Ancestry.com works with state-of-the-art DNA testing labs to uncover your genetic Ancestral Signature, an ageless record of your family passed from generation to generation. Price shown above is for the Y DNA 12 Marker Chromosome Test which is useful in verifying common ancestry. This single test allows you to verify:
if 2 males are related
your suggested geographic origins
if you have Native-American ancestry
or if you have Cohanim ancestry
or Western European origins
or your suggested African origins
and your deep ancestral ethnic origins
~snip~

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

a white can decide he/she is black

I will no longer tolerate being referred to as 'white'.
I am a European-American.
If black folks insist on being called African-American, I insist on eschewing the label 'white'.

[knuthom]

It would not matter if anyone could prove it if CU did not make it matter. If there were no advantages to being Indian or African or Hispanic, no one would have to prove anything. No one has to prove they are white because there are no longer any privileges to being white at CU, only disadvantages.

[CharacterCounts]

This idiot's logic is a red herring....

I'm still searching for the logic.

[Millee]

LOL! Good one!

[cyborg]

The governmen would love to start this.

[Adder]

You are right...I should have used quotation marks around "logic"...