Another response to Why Spawn Isn't Black:

>> given the assertion that scientists claim there are no observable biological differences in race when it comes down to the bones and blood level, how is one classified as 15/16ths white or black by "blood"? <<

It's a social artifice. In previous centuries people were sure they could classify people by race—accurately and meaningfully—so they did. People kept track of their "blood quantum," or fraction of blood, based on who their ancestors were. They didn't actually test blood for "black" or "white" elements, they assumed people inherited "blood" in proportion to their parents' blood quantum.

Since the original classifications were artificial, the resulting classifications were artificial also. A person who called himself 15/16^ths black meant that 15 of his 16 ancestors were artificially classified as black. IOW, 15 of his 16 ancestors had the superficial characteristics our society artificially groups together to define the "black" race.

>> Is this a classification based on the physical characteristics of their ancestors? <<

It's based on genealogical descent from people who were classified by their physical characteristics. The characteristics include the usual ones—skin color, hair, etc. They don't include blood type or anything like that.

If humans were color-blind, they might not notice our tiny differences in eyes, nose, lips, etc. Or if they did notice, they might not consider them significant enough to group into a race. Race is primarily an artificial grouping based on skin color, and skin color is one of thousands of genetic traits that make us human.

As a distinguishing trait, it's useful only because we're so visually oriented. It's not useful because it tells us anything significant about different-colored people. If we classified people by, say, shoe size rather than skin color, the "races" would be entirely different.

Rob

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