Elizabeth Warren's DNA


This raises a couple of thoughts in my pea brain.  One concerns identity politics: many pundits are saying that her DNA outcome and her touting of it spell the end of identity politics.  To the extent this works out to be true, would this make Warren a heroine of the right?

The other concerns the DNA itself.  I suggest that, by fair means or foul, we're all at least as much African-American as Warren is Native American.  We all can open our businesses and claim our minority-owned subsidy.

But why stop with molecules?  Why not take seriously particular groupings of DNA?  I have at least half the number of X chromosomes as my wife, as do all of the nominally male population of the Hall and of America at large.  On that basis we don't have to self-identify as female, our genetics make the case for us at least as soundly as Warren's DNA makes her case.  We can open our own businesses and claim our woman-owned subsidy.

We're all two-fers now.

Eric Hines

9 comments:

Grim said...

I’ll thank you to be careful of how often you raise the subject of ‘male members’ around here. Those shouldn’t come up too often in polite company, you know.

douglas said...

Warren a heroine of the right? Inadvertantly, perhaps, but it's not as if they care a whit about actual science on anything, or we'd be spared a whole lot of their nonsense.

E Hines said...

I've seen coarser here. Updated, anyway.

Eric Hines

Christopher B said...

DNA isn't going to end identity politics aka tribalism. Notice that one of the first things the Indian (feathers) Tribe in question did was disclaim DNA as a definitive source of tribal affiliation. You are a member of The Tribe because The Tribe selects or tolerates you. This lefty brotherhood of man kumbya self-identification stuff is a load of happy horsecrap. You are part of The Tribe because you adhere to the tenets of The Tribe, and enforce the boundaries and beliefs of The Tribe. Even if you are otherwise indistinguishable from Tribal members, if you don't your existence will always be as a second class citizen.

E Hines said...

You are part of The Tribe because you adhere to the tenets of The Tribe, and enforce the boundaries and beliefs of The Tribe.

Sort of like you're a member of the American Tribe because you adhere to the tenets of The Tribe, and enforce the boundaries and beliefs of The Tribe, regardless of genetics.

Eric Hines

Grim said...

Oh, I was joking. I was thinking of Cassandra, who would have made great sport of your phrasing. I miss her.

E Hines said...

I missed that. Guess I'm just not that subtle. My bane for most of my life.

Eric Hines

Grim said...

Don't worry about it. It could be that no one expects light-hearted humor from a guy called "Grim."

Gringo said...

Oh, I was joking. I was thinking of Cassandra, who would have made great sport of your phrasing. I miss her.
She's gone?