toxic515

since we've visited the definitions of the words redneck and nigger (partially, because older dictionarys define "nigger" as an ignorant person {no flame war please, it is offensive to me as well, just rounding out the definition for us all}) I'd like to inject another definition... that of "race" I will include all of the iterations and then point out what I think is important here... Short attention spans, or bored folks skip the middle, go straight to the end :-)


RACE n.

1. A local geographic or global human population distinguished as a more or less distinct group by genetically transmitted physical characteristics.
2. A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution: the German race.
3. A genealogical line; a lineage.
4. Humans considered as a group.
5. Biology.
1. An interbreeding, usually geographically isolated population of organisms differing from other populations of the same species in the frequency of hereditary traits. A race that has been given formal taxonomic recognition is known as a subspecies.
2. A breed or strain, as of domestic animals.
6. A distinguishing or characteristic quality, such as the flavor of a wine.


[French, from Old French, from Old Italian razza, race, lineage.]

Usage Note: The notion of race is nearly as problematic from a scientific point of view as it is from a social one. European physical anthropologists of the 17th and 18th centuries proposed various systems of racial classifications based on such observable characteristics as skin color, hair type, body proportions, and skull measurements, essentially codifying the perceived differences among broad geographic populations of humans. The traditional terms for these populationsCaucasoid (or Caucasian), Mongoloid, Negroid, and in some systems Australoidare now controversial in both technical and nontechnical usage, and in some cases they may well be considered offensive. (Caucasian does retain a certain currency in American English, but it is used almost exclusively to mean “white” or “European” rather than “belonging to the Caucasian race,” a group that includes a variety of peoples generally categorized as nonwhite.) The biological aspect of race is described today not in observable physical features but rather in such genetic characteristics as blood groups and metabolic processes, and the groupings indicated by these factors seldom coincide very neatly with those put forward by earlier physical anthropologists. Citing this and other pointssuch as the fact that a person who is considered black in one society might be nonblack in anothermany cultural anthropologists now consider race to be more a social or mental construct than an objective biological fact.

now, from a medical standpoint, Race: An ethnic stock or division of humans. Naturalists and ethnographers have long divided humans into a variable number of distinct races. However, DNA and other genetic studies have revealed that that most genetic variation, about 94%, is within so-called racial groups while these racial groupings differ from one another only in about 6% of their genes. This means that there is greater genetic variation within racial groups than between them. The concept of race is a superficial and subjective one. All of humankind is a single species.

and lastly, from an anthrolopological view: 1) The term "race" is used in different senses by both the public and by
professionals. The uses often overlap and result in substantial
misunderstanding and conflict.

2) Race, as a term of biology - applied to the natural world generally,
focuses on minor genetic differences, resulting from population isolation,
and normally manifested in minor differences of colouring, behaviour, or
form. It is not a formal division within the standard bi-nomial
nomenclature of biology, which recognises divisions into genera, species
etc. In this system the term "sub species" is preferred.

Sub-species are somewhat arbitrary, subdivisions of "species", the
narrowest, formally defined division of taxa. Sub-species tend to be
defined in terms of recognisable, but minor, local characteristics of
populations within species. Genetic variation between sub-species is very
limited. When geographical boundaries between two sub-species break down,
the utility of the term disappears, as the two groups interbreed.
Generally the dividing line between "sub-species" is a very moveable
feast, as variation within any two "sub species" results in an overlap
between the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of the two groups. The
differences between sub species, then, are primarily statistical rather
than absolute.

In the terms of biology, given the (increasingly) extensive intermingling
of the people of the earth, the comparatively recent (in biological terms)
earlier isolation of the groups, and the absence of any clear genetic
separation the concept of human sub-species has little utility or meaning.
The genetic differences between human groups, beyond trivial matters such
as body coloration and the frequency of particular blood groups, is
extremely limited. The greater differences which exist are cultural or
environmental rather genetic in origin. Hence the concept of human
"races" is of little importance in biological terms.

3) Race, as understood by most people, is a socially derived concept based
on an over-estimation of the extent of biological differences betwen
different populations of humans. It is often used in an attempt to provide
a false legitimising "scientific" explanation of the diversity of human
cultures, and to justify heirarchical or discrimatory action aimed at
ensuring the dominance of one cultural group over another. For this
reason, when discussing differences between groups of people, the term
"ethnic group", which recognises the cultural rather than biological
differences between people, is preferable to "race" in almost all
situations.



CONCLUSION! (FINALLY)
Having little objective relevance from a scientific standpoint, current usage of the word race is used to indicate a group of people, this can me with similar physical characteristics, similar cultures, close geographic proximaty, OR they may have chosen to identify themselves seperately. Redneck IS a racial term, but like many other general blanket terms, is typically offensive based on usage. Intent means a lot on this.

sorry for the extended post....

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like a banana.