The Comity Advisors: Stevan St. Augustin, Roberta Medina, George Warden, Beverly Kim, Roger Wong, Mary Thomas
Homo Sapiens, our species, despite physical differences such as skin color, have very similar genetics. Recent analyses of many samples of DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid show that humans are 99.9% identical.
Genetics has been used to label and separate people into different racial categories for a long time. But, science now tells us that there is no scientific basis of race. The first human genome was completed in June 2000. The results were released at a White House ceremony. Craig Venter, a pioneer of DNA sequencing, observed “…the concept of race has no genetic or scientific basis…” How the use of race has changed can be illustrated by its treatment in the United States Census. Up to 1850 the only races used were White and Black. From 1860 to 1940, the races used were White, Black, American Indian and Asian. From 1950 to 1990 the category Other Race was added. In 2000 and 2010 Two or More Races was added. Over time increasing population diversity was recognized.
DNA is a thread–like chain in the form of a double helix of chemical compounds: A for Adenine, C for Cytosine, G for Guanine and T for Thymine. “The human genome consists of three billion pairs-pages after page of A’s, C’s, G’s and T’s-divided into roughly 20,000 genes,” according to National Geographic Magazine. The mutation that’s responsible for giving Europeans lighter skin is a change in one gene. In one position where most Sub-Saharan Africans have a G, Europeans have an A.
“What genetics shows is that mixture and displacement have happened again and again and that our pictures of past ‘racial structures’ are almost always wrong,” says David Reich, a Harvard Paleogeneticist, in the book Who We Are and How We Got Here. There are no fixed traits associated with specific geographic locations. Reich says because as often as isolation has created differences among populations, migration and mixing have blurred or erased them. National Geographic Magazine states, “Across the world today skin color is highly variable. Much of the difference correlates with latitude.”
As stated previously, we humans are virtually 99.9% the same. In the past some have chosen to focus on and to exploit our differences as humans and not to focus on our many similarities.
We are all so similar to our neighbors, we must be willing to listen to our neighbors and keep ourselves open to new concepts and ideas. We must be willing to admit sometimes we have been wrong. We must have humility. This change in our thinking can open up new and exciting possibilities.
Human beings form a complicated species but are basically the same. We all can empathize, create, learn, listen, teach and imagine if we choose to. These behaviors and qualities benefit us all and shall help us build our PebbleCreek Community and build bridges to reach positive ends.
Sources:
National Geographic Magazine, October 2016, “Mystery Man”, pages 30-57.
National Geographic Magazine, April 2018, Special Issue: Black and White.
The Telegraph, July 2, 2018, “DNA Survey Finds all humans are 99.9 pc the Same”.
Book: Who We Are and How We Got Here by David Reich, 2018.