Here’s a free idea, internet friends: In order to further reduce the already tiny number of actual white supremacists in our midst, let’s start a volunteer effort to distribute free genetic tests to anyone who shows up at a rally with any kind of sign, badge, flag, or insignia that indicates he thinks whites are a superior race.
Take a bunch 23andMe or Ancestry.com testing kits down to the site of the next Charlottesville-style rally and set up a table. Make it a challenge: spit in a test tube and get proof of your white superiority. Family tree research is already a popular activity in the community, why not help them along with some objective data?
The payoff, of course, is when a decent number of folks whose sense of self (and extracurricular activities) revolve around racial purity discover their own mongrelcy. And if even a few neo-Nazis discover that their great-great-great-grandmothers were Jewish, it will all have been worth it, right?
A large number of genetic test takers discover ethnic elements in their heritage they didn’t expect, and depending on how stringent your definition of “white” is—plently of marchers would certainly exclude the charming yet swarthy Nick Gillespie from their number, for instance—quite a few swastika wavers could be in for a surprise.
When humans first ventured out of Africa some 60,000 years ago, they left genetic footprints still visible today. By mapping the appearance and frequency of genetic markers in modern peoples, we create a picture of when and where ancient humans moved around the world. These great migrations eventually led the descendants of a small group of Africans to occupy even the farthest reaches of the Earth.
In recent decades, DNA tests were mainly used to prove paternity. But since 2000, a handful of companies have commercialized tests that connect a wider array of relatives, sometimes going back centuries to find common ancestors.
As recently as 2007, such tests cost as much as $1,000. Today, they generally run between $100 and $300 and offer users more information. In May, Ancestry.com Inc., a publisher of genealogical records and a site where people can track their family trees, started selling a DNA test that identifies relatives up to and including fifth cousins.
While it can’t provide you with your entire family tree or tell you who your ancestors are, DNA testing can:
– Determine if two people are related
– Determine if two people descend from the same ancestor
– Find out if you are related to others with the same surname
– Prove or disprove your family tree research
– Provide clues about your ethnic origin
DNA tests have been around for many years, but it is only recently that the cost of genetic testing has finally come down into the realm of possibility for the average individual interested in tracing their roots. Home DNA test kits can be ordered through the mail or over the Internet at a cost averaging $100-$400 per test. They usually consist of a cheek swab or mouthwash to easily collect a sample of cells from the inside of your mouth. You send back the sample through the mail and within a month or two you receive the results – a series of numbers that represent key chemical “markers” within your DNA. These numbers can then be compared to results from other individuals to help you determine your ancestry.
