• FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Not to mention, I’ve never heard a person- whose basically white, with no apparent native culture- use “I have Native American ancestry” as anything other than a cudgel to insist they can’t be racist.

    Usually while being racist. (Example: my grandfather.)

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Eh, depends on the area.

      The vast majority of “old family” Appalachians have natives somewhere on their family tree, it’s just most people never really talk about it.

      At most it’s offhand mention at family gatherings, which was exactly the context Warren said she heard. Her grandparent or whoever could very well had it and shown up on a test, but it gets exponentially harder the more generations go by

      Warren just happened to mention it on the campaign trail, and a bunch of people jumped on it.

      • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        At most it’s offhand mention at family gatherings, which was exactly the context Warren said she heard. Her grandparent or whoever could very well had it and shown up on a test, but it gets exponentially harder the more generations go by

        it stopped being family history discussions when she mentions it on the campaign trail or on job applications. (I understand there’s conflicting evidence as to the Harvard thing, but, lets be honest here, it’s probably true).

        such things coming up in the context of family history makes sense and wouldn’t (necessarily) be racist. But Warren went beyond that… when it’s usually pretty evident if someone’s family is Native American when they’re talking about it. the handful of soundbites I caught were very much in the manner my racist grandfather used to justify his angry bullshit screeds against Native Americans. that said, DNA tests are definitely never going to be conclusive about that. it’s patently ridiculous to think one’s heritage is genetic- heritage is a matter of culture; and culture is learned… distilling your heritage to a percentage based on DNA is a scam to get your DNA.

        • prole@sh.itjust.works
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          1 year ago

          (I understand there’s conflicting evidence as to the Harvard thing, but, lets be honest here, it’s probably true).

          Lol really giving the benefit of the doubt, huh?

          • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Not really. She annoys me though, so I’m probably biased or something.

            But I really wouldn’t expect there to be any evidence either way, so pick your poison. She has used it in her stump speeches, and that’s verifiable

    • prole@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      People used to say shit like this all of the time before the internet. It was usually just someone trying to sound cool, or set themselves apart from other kids in some way.

      If they weren’t just making it up whole cloth, It was usually some story passed down from their great grandparents that they’re repeating (probably inaccurately) about how someone x generations ago had a Cherokee father or some shit, then they do the math to claim that means they’re 1/32 Cherokee or whatever.

      Back then, I don’t remember it being used in any way as an argument against being racist. It was usually just people trying to be cool or different, or telling a boring story about their family that they think is true.

      I’m not excusing what she said, it was a stupid thing to say. I’m just not sure if it deserved the criticism it received.