h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Sheesh.

I know very well what this discussion is about. I would just prefer to give him a reasoned answer to why I think he's wrong, rather than just throw him out because he holds unpopular opinions. As he mentions himself, we should have freedom of speech.

German guy? I'm not sure but I think you talk about the Austrian guy
Nevertheless there are enough Germans to think the same way.

Floh (German: yes, Aryan: no)

Hi folks...

**hands round tea and valium**

Let's see what the person who asked the initial question has to say for him/herself before jumping to conclusions.

You never know, they might be playing devil's advocate here
(Hope springs eternal )

Anyway, if the question was asked innocently it's not worth getting worked up about, and if it wasn't it's best ignored because frankly it isn't worth talking to someone with those sort of views.


Whisky
Feeling in a particularly hippy mood today

*sigh*

Is that a sigh of disappointment, despair or simply disgust at seeing a hippy whisky appear in the thread

It's a sigh because of the way people here want to handle persons with unpopular opinions.

"If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear." - George Orwell

*Sits here with his damaged genes*

I guess this subject is one that will raise the hackles on a lot of people, no matter how innocently the question is asked. I've even had disagreements with my mother over this subject. Although she will happily accept that it is OK for white people of different nationalities to 'breed', she doesn't like the idea of white people 'breeding' with black people. Where she came from a 'bastard' wasn't a child born out of wedlock, it was a child whose parents were of different colours. I guess that her attitude comes from the time and place she was raised (Germany in the '30s and'40s. No, she does not believe in Aryan purity and Germans as the master race.). My attitude comes from having mixed-race parents, albeit same colour, and growing up happily in a time and place where racial prejudice is considered wrong whatever form it takes.

I'd like to hear more from 'Purdy young thing' about why this question was raised and what his (?) attitude is and why he holds that view. He believes in free speech, so I invite him to speak freely - not that he needs my invitation.

Xanatic, what race are you..??

But, how do we define 'freedom of speech'?

One person's freedom of speech is another persons insult.


Emmily

How do we define Freedom of Speech?

In here it's easy... it's all laid out in the <./>HouseRules</.>... I must admit though, it'd sometimes be nice to have such a straightforward set of do's and don'ts for the real world too

"I disagree with what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." Usually attributed to Voltaire, but opinions differ.

On a site like this obvious insults are a no-no, but in real life we don't have the 'luxury' of moderators to prevent things getting out of hand. So far there haven't been any obvious intentional insults - nobody has been 'yikesed'. As long as it stays that way, I'm happy.

I believe it was Mark Twain who said something like, "An American is a person who has the right to say what he thinks and the wisdom not to use that right." I guess that's the difference between absolute freedom of speech and consideration for the feelings of others when speaking freely.

I found the original question repugnant, particularly with some of PYL's later posts, and I have exercised restraint in not pressing the yikes button. But, however distasteful the topic may be, we all should have the right to dicsuss this freely, whether we agree with the original sentiments or not.

*patiently awaits PYT's response*

"Do not feed the trolls"

Liam.

On the whole, I think history has shown that in-breeding is more dangerous and undesirable than cross-breeding.

Where the edges of indigenous populations meet, there is a blending.
Where populations are mixed, breeding is mixed.
It has always been so.

Unless you are into arranged marriages, people are going to fall in love with who ever they wish and everybody else be damned.

Bloodlines and pedigrees serve a political purpose, but historically, it is the by-blows that have made a difference, if only in the ability of the blue bloods to let their hearts rule.

Besides, we're all related to Lucy, ain't we?
Thus, the darker skins are closer to real and the lighter are a mutation, aren't we? On a sun-soaked planet, it is the absence of melanin that is the handicap...

The guy hasn't come with any direct insults. All he's done so far is ask a question. Although one that is considered taboo in our society.

Though looking at his other posts, it might just be a matter of time.

With 'freedom of speech' aside, I do not think anything productive would come from a racist statement (If indeed it was one) The convienience with freedom of speech over these theads is that cowards can make a racist remark that they wouldn't dare bring up in public and the better people have to grit their teeth a deal with it. If i was to start a Thred saying 'is rape wrong' that surley would have the same outcome.. Unless there are people that think having a slightly different shade of skin is a problem.. I hate the fact that peolpe can get away with this on a day to day basis..
Asking a question like that is insulting regardless if its not directed at one person...

That is what makes them better people isn't it? Rather than go out and beat the crap out of everybody who says a wrong thing about black people. I doubt that will change their mind for the better.

We are all the same species,so what does a colour matter, it is what is inside a person that counts.
It is only narrow mindedness and fear thats makes people react to what they see as *wrong*
But as shown through the ages, love will conquer all.

Breathlessly awaiting PYTs reply
Helelou

Hey everybody, relax. This is *too* easy. I love these kind of questions.

Freedom of speech is not an issue. Racism need not be an issue. There's a simple question of fact here, and the factual, scientific answer is easy to demonstrate and not, I think, what PYT wants to hear. So of course, we should tell him, and not condemn him for asking.

"Don't you think that mixing of gene pools has caused some damage?".

No. Dead easy. Mixing of gene pools causes *improvement*, not damage. Someone has already mentioned "hybrid vigour". Dogs are an excellent example. Pedigree retrievers are prone to liver failure. Most Dalmatians are deaf. The list of congenital defects goes on, all of them caused by inbreeding.

There is a reason for the incest taboo. You're not *supposed* to breed with people related to you. And the less related they are, the better.

There are limits to this, of course. Humans in different regions have different characteristics for a reason. Sherpas have adaptations to cope with oxygen starvation, Inuits have physiology better adapted to cold and people on sunnier climes have darker skins. But here and now, in the 21st century - none of that matters. People don't NEED dark skin block UV - buy some sunblock. People don't NEED physiological adaptation to cold - buy a nice warm fleece. So the benefits of maintaining "purity" of a population with environmental adaptations have gone. But the DISADVANTAGES of maintaining that purity (i.e. genetic abnormalities due to inbreeding) are still there.

This isn't political correctness, it isn't politics of any kind. It's straight science. Interracial breeding is desirable, and should if anything be *promoted*.

H.