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To: Jedi Master Pikachu
All humans are part of one race (and there are no subspecies) with very little genetic variation

You are confusing terms here. Races are subgroups within a species that can be simply distinguished from one another by differences in outward appearance, differences in vocalization, and differences in behavior and response to stimuli.

The existence of seperate human races is simply demonstrated by variations in skin, eye, and hair color, facial type, and typical body size and proportions and more complexly demonstrated by differing reactions to medical care and risks of various diseases of, for example, people from sub-saharan Africa vs. people from east Asia vs. people from Europe.

The fact that there is very little genetic variation between human races does not mean that they are indistinguishable or undetectable. In fact, there are clear marker genes in our DNA which allow for a quick determination of the racial background of the person donating the sample. This is why those companies that ask you for a DNA sample and promise to tell you your genetic background can do what they do.

12 posted on 11/23/2006 5:31:51 AM PST by Andrew Byler
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To: Andrew Byler
Variations in skin color? Humans are pigmented primarily by melanin. There are not separate colors of people, some people are more brown than others. Some have thinner skin, and thus appear redder or pinkish.

How are there various vocalizations of humanity? What do you mean by facial type? Almond eyes are caused by more fat under the eyelid than European eyes (which also have fat, simply less of it). Asians tend to have wider cheekbones than Europeans, and Africans tend to have wider nasal cavities than either Asian or Europeans.

Body sizes are primarily determined (not totally, but primarily) by a combination of genetics and diet. Height is largely based on diet. Ecto-/Endo-/Meso- morph is often genetic. However, this is not race-based, just as right/left handism, and even blood type is not race-based. Even in cases leaning toward a distinction by people group (race) such as European have around half a chance of being type A bloodtype while the rest of the world is largely type O (along with around half of Europeans).

Prevalence is not the same as one group has this trait, and that trait is absent in the other groups.

People within people groups simply tend to be more related to one another than people in another people group, just as would be more related to those in your immediate family more than you would to your first cousins. Similar genetic markers simply show a mutual ancestor (with a mutation) for a particular group. Using the close family analogy again, your family could have inherited a mutation from your father, while your cousins could be devoid of such a mutation. Your cousins and you are still very closely related, hence the need for incest laws. The genetic variance of the human race (singular) is not large enough for there to be races of humanity, subspecies or your subgroups (which are one and the same: a subgroup of a species is a subspecies).

P.S. Appreciate your respectful tone in your response. Looking at the ping section, and there are a lot of replies. Guessing that many of them won't be as respectful as yours.

34 posted on 11/23/2006 7:25:48 AM PST by Jedi Master Pikachu ( Think of the reason for today.)
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To: Andrew Byler

bump for later


70 posted on 12/04/2006 12:02:37 PM PST by southland (Isaiah 17:1)
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