Modern anthropology does not recognize sharply distinct races, but rather a continuum.
After all, Homo sapiens only originated once.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: When I am occassionally given a form to fill out which has a blank on it entitled Race: _______ I always answer it 'Human', which gives no end of anquish to the person who handed me the form or asked the question. I have been told that 'human' is not an acceptable answer, that I had to answer white, black, indian, etc. The last time this came up was at the local Red Cross office here in Independence. The questioner was a lady asking me questions about donating blood. Her questionaire also asked if I had had any 'homosexual activities' since God created the earth or some long ago time. I answered her questions honestly, so she said 'well then, you cannot give blood'. I asked her if she was racist or homophobic.Oh no, she replied, she was not, it was just their 'policy' but she would give me a cookie and a glass of Koolaid anyway with her thanks for my having gone a mile out of my way to get there. I told her not to bother; I did not want as a gay man to contaminate her cookies and Koolaid juice by touching them, but it might be prudent if they took all the signs they have all over town asking people to give blood and note a caveat on them 'no gay people need apply', just like years ago when signs noted that 'no negroes need apply'. She said they would not add that to their posters, and anyway its only since (some date in) 1977. In other words, thirty years ago. I said to her "if we may assume that any male person would have been at least fifteen or twenty years of age prior to any of these dreadful 'homosexual experiences' you are so uptight about, that would effectively block all gay men younger than fifty years of age or so from donating, would it not?" Well, she insisted, that's how it is with Red Cross. I told her suppose as I travel around town and see your signs in various places I automatically add the legend 'no homosexuals welcome'? She said "don't you dare!" and I told her then instead I would write letters to _everyone_ I can find at Red Cross from Washington, DC headquarters through the local Wichita office and and tell them what I think. As a matter of fact, my letter writing on this topic has caused a few internet discussions to start, and now I see where Red Cross is complaining they do not get enough blood in their campaigns. Good! I hope their blood bank dries up completely. PAT]