Comments on: It Is Not In Our Genes

By: Mirie

Mirie — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 23:33:14 +0000

Really good post. I am a Kenyan living in the U.S and I run across a lot of the same thinking. Believing in Black physicial superiority and sexual superiority one side of the coin with believing in black intellectual inferiority being the other. This is why those idiots who wrote the Bell Curve could claim that the average IQ in Africa is 75 and be taken seriously in the U.S (80 is borderline retarded!). There are people who I meet and on finding out that I am Kenyan the first thing is “you must be a good runner.” my retort is usually “You must be a good cowboy” if their American and I am in a good mood. Most times, I just ignore them.

The one thing that is always left out of the argument is economic opportunities. In the mid 1920’s in America, the dominant basketball teams were Jewish/immigrant. What changed since then? Societal groups that have little opportunities in mainstream society (as Jews had in an incredibly ant-semitic 1920’s US) will adapt their strategies to take advantage of the little opportunity that is given to them and for most African Americans the only way out of the ghetto is sports. In addition, the subsequent over representation of the ones who have made it then encourages other minority kids to pour all their energies into said sports.

Also, as an ‘elitist’ (I have been called that for arguing the whole issue by referring people to books), I always refer people to a number of books (In addition to “Wretched of the Earth” and “Black Skins, white masks’) dealing with the issue.

Darwin’s Athletes : How Sport Has Damaged Black America and Preserved the Myth of Race – John Hoberman

The Mismeasure of Man – Stephen Jay Gould

The Bell Curve Wars: Race, Intelligence, and the Future of America – Steve Fraser

We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity – Bell Hooks

I know it is now in September a few months after this blog entry but the whole hurrican Katrina thing and how the media here has potrayed the African Americans in New Orleans (lazy, on welfare and too dumb to get out when told to) got me thinking. Nothing comes for free in this world, and the adulation that African American sports athletes get is but the bait in the trap that closes off other opportunities to them.

By: uaridi

uaridi — Tue, 19 Jul 2005 13:04:48 +0000

In a uni I went to, the phys. ed teacher simply hated me because I LOATH running and all that keep fit junk and could not be bothered to take part in more than the basic minimum. He had three Kenyan runners and had hoped to find a woman runner!!!.

Most Kenyan runners excell because of their environment. They grow up in high altitudes and thus develop larger lung capacities and are able to hold more air (or some such biochemical stuff)

By: nosa

nosa — Sat, 18 Jun 2005 13:17:18 +0000

It is easier to be critical than to be correct.

What is stupid or racist about saying that black males and females were enslaved and forcibly-bred for over 400 years? What is stupid or racist about suggesting that selective breeding has biological consequences?
You don’t know what you think you know…my argument has far more to do with Charles Darwin than with Chris Rock (although i liked the stand-up show you were refering to!).

Seeing as you dislike stupidity and racism…I really wonder what your answer would be to this question i asked before: “What then would you suggest as the cause of the massive disparities in athletic acheivement between races?”

By: anon.

anon. — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 20:42:36 +0000

nosa, i know where u got ur argument from and i would just like to point out that Chris Rock is a comedian.. he makes stupid racist jokes for a living!

By: nosa

nosa — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 16:18:24 +0000

(Oops…should’ve checked before i posted.) In the last paragraph, i don’t literally mean all black people. I was just being lazy – i hope you got my gist. It actually annoys me when ‘we’ are all bunched into undescriptive terms like that.

By: nosa

nosa — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 16:07:59 +0000

From what you are saying, athletes of all races are equal. Therefore, the reason that black sportsmen are so successful in western countries in particular - where they make up far less than 10% of the male population - can only be due to their relative overacheivement. What then would you suggest as the cause of the massive disparities in athletic acheivement between races? Check out the 100m record holders since Jesse Owens (culminating with Asafa Powell) and suggest a theory to explain the obvious athletic dominance of western black folk in a simple, short sprint. Or the dominance of Eastern African black men in middle/long distance running. I'm not suggesting that Roberto was completely right (The nostril thing was disproved long ago) but that your reluctance to wade through his opinion, doesn't summarily make it bullshit. Black people were slaves for 400+ yrs. During this time they were selectively force-bred (like racehorses). Do you really believe that there were no discernible consequences to this unnatural selection process?

By: Xquizzyt1

Xquizzyt1 — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 19:33:11 +0000

OMG!!! KUI!!! You have to read my post from today. LOL You won’t believe what it’s about. Hilarious.

Girl you “know” me… so you know this type of shit makes me SICK!!! But I’ve learned that sometimes, it’s best to be quiet and let the other person prove themselves to be a fool… I think I would especially feel that way if my words were going to be broadcast nationally and were held at an editor’s mercy. *shaking head* And ironically… I’ve been seeing the same quote pop up on several bloggers’ sites and it seems apropos with regard to Science’s inertia when that subject came up… the indomitable Jay-Z (LOL) said, “don’t argue with fools… cuz from a distance people can’t tell who is who.” I know that’s right. So I almost kinda respect Science for bowing out of getting into an argument over ignorance.

But you are sooooooo right on all counts woman… I need to steal some of these for my LIST!!! DAMN I didn’t think of these!!! LOL

Love ya!!! =) *hugs*

By: akiey

akiey — Tue, 14 Jun 2005 23:20:29 +0000

I kept nodding as I read your post many times wished it had appeared in the NY Post or the Washington Post, but well, how many people bother to read newspapers these days? I guess blogs are becoming the new print media:)

On several occasions I’ve felt no shame in responding to the “…get over it” comment by putting up a straight face & saying “my people will get over it the day our Jewish brethren get over the Holocaust”. If they want anyone to believe that Africans or pple of African descent are physically/genetically advantaged at some tasks then we all better the old nasty joke about blondes being daft beyond imagination.
Thanks for sharing yet another thought-provoking post Kui.
It’s the 21st Century, didn’t some people get the memo…?

By: Sunflower

Sunflower — Mon, 13 Jun 2005 03:10:47 +0000

Awesome post…….@guess, lol! Maasai have taken the cake, as have in general westeners…..lol! And if u were a dude….. lets just leave that issue alone…. lol

By: ndesanjo

ndesanjo — Sun, 12 Jun 2005 16:14:02 +0000

Umesema sawa. Nakubaliana nawe asilimia 100. Fanon safi, bila kumsahau Biko kwenye I Write What I Like.