-
1 of 10
-
2 of 10
-
3 of 10
-
4 of 10
-
5 of 10
-
6 of 10
-
7 of 10
-
8 of 10
-
9 of 10
-
10 of 10
Neanderthals are people too
Archive
Comments
Story
In America today there is much concern and hand wringing over ‘minority rights.’ The definition of just what these rights are and who is a minority varies greatly. Tradition has it that if a person is at least one thirty second or 3% of a racial type, then they are recognized as being of that race. An example is the many American Indian tribes and their registered members. The specific “right” I want to address is this right of recognition.
My ancestry is European. Some of the contributors to my ancestry likely came from a small, picturesque valley in Germany. Owning little, we have always been persecuted and misrepresented.
At the turn of the nineteenth century, so-called scientists singled us out to manufacture evidence that made my people seem like a bunch of dirty Euro bums. Cartoons and drawings were published depicting us as hairy, greasy transients. Even though we were obviously human, skeletons of the departed were purposely distorted to support this nonsense that we were somehow different and sub-human.
We were constantly defamed in lectures, books, newspaper articles and pictures. It seems these racists thought that only the tall, slender, and light skinned were thinking people and had qualified as being European. We were treated like we weren’t part of the population. Generally being short, strong and tough, we were always on the winning side in a real fight with the skinny, wimpy majority.
We were also better lovers than them as well! We knew how to treat women right and never did look at them as baby factories. Maybe that’s why the majority male power structure wanted to pretend like we were some kind of stupid. Their ladies sure didn’t think so!
We have musical instruments, jewelry, religion and art to demonstrate our culture. In our prime the society and cultural life of my people certainly was equal to that of the
Euro majority.
Some of my relatives were also early explorers and traders who traveled all over Europe, Asia and Indonesia. Since the 1960s things have gotten a little better, but not much.
I would really like to make things clear for the dull of wit, cloudy of vision, ignorant of facts and those who do not see my
obvious genius.
In addition to the many sophisticated and complex achievements of my people, forensic study has now added to the demonstrable evidence that not only are we thinking humans, but in spite of being pushed to the precipice of extinction, we are still here.
On August 29, 2006 “The London Telegraph” reported that the Journal of Genetics published a research study by Dr Vincent Plagnol and Dr. Jeffrey Wall of the University of Southern California.
Their genetic research found that as much as five percent of the European genome is a contribution of my people.
We are from the Neander Valley in Germany. Large noses, a stocky build and a serious brow are high fashion where we come from. We are best known as the Neanderthals-we
are here.
FREDERICK AREHART
Opinion Writer
