The Good News Channel

[Opsa]

B-in-a-Q: this is toadily awesome! It may also explain why you are in a quantum state of faith.

I have a mysterious grandmother too, whom one of my uncles found to not have any records. She was very intelligent and spoke several languages, even wrote a children's Spanish book. I've always been curious about her. Where did you guys look to find out the info?

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

B-in-a-Q: this is toadily awesome! It may also explain why you are in a quantum state of faith.

I have a mysterious grandmother too, whom one of my uncles found to not have any records. She was very intelligent and spoke several languages, even wrote a children's Spanish book. I've always been curious about her. Where did you guys look to find out the info?

We were fortunate, in that one of my family located records back in Tennessee, where the Cherokee and her intended had to post bond to get married-- in those days it was somewhat illegal for whites to marry natives; you had to cough up $1800 bond money first (essentially a penalty tax).  Quite a bit of change, if you're just a modest farmer in the late 1800's ... anywho, the records of that bond were still there in the Tennessee courthouse.  And they'd also located a local newspaper article about the event, too.   I guess Tennessee was the nearest "Indian Affairs" office, as they were in Eastern Missouri at the time of the marriage.

They returned to Missouri, and together raised several kids, but the Native heritage was simply not spoken of.  It wasn't until some of the family died, that it even came out.  But the sons served in the War, like any other North American did in those days, even though they'd have been 1/2 blood "indian".

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Cool! Congratulations!
---
I know that I have Amerindian heritage somewhere but it's almost impossible to know which tribe(s) where and when. The Spaniards mixed very happily with the natives (as opposed to the English) from the very beginning, in fact according to a genetic study 99% of Colombians have genetic material from Amerindians, Caucasians, and Africans, we are as mongrel as anyone can be.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Mongrel is cool.  I sometimes wish, that there were no racial characteristics at all, among humans....

... think of all the grief it might have saved, if we were all of the same racial heritage...

... okay, okay, we are, and I realize this.

And upon further reflection, I'm reminded of L. Neil Smith's "Brightsuit MacBear" novel-- wherein the planet was all of the same racial genotype.  But the bigots managed to dig up some traits they could point to, and say, "See?  these xxx people are second-class"...

*sigh*

I suppose the first time I thought about it, was Author C Clarke's "Childhood's End".   One of his more interesting ideas, in concept.

[Swatopluk]

Brecht wrote a drama on something like that
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Round_Heads_and_Pointed_Heads
with the typical moral that class beats 'race' in case of doubt, i.e. if one belongs to the ruling class people will simply ignore (or be forced to do it) the 'bad' racial (or other distinguishing) attributes.

[Griffin NoName]

Congratulations Bob. Enjoy your new identity.

[Pachyderm]

The delightful Catherine (work colleague) and Kyle (her boyfriend) are coming over for dinner.

Masses of Italian food, oodles of wine, and some excellent company. I must confess, I'm looking forward to it.

Now, I just have to go shopping, and get cooking, open the vino to let it breathe, tidy the house, do the hoovering etc...

[Griffin NoName]

Ah, dinner with friends, so civilized. Enjoy yourself.

[Opsa]

... and Pastifarian, as well. Yes, it's spaghetti night. I think I'll open a bottle of wine too, Pachy m'dear.

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

One university acceptance letter! Safety school, but STILL!

[Griffin NoName]

Congratuations Scribs.

[Sibling DavidH]

Excellent news, Scribs!

[Aggie]

 

What are you planning to take, Scrib?

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

 

Labor history. Probably American, since that's what I know, though I have no doubt it was just as dramatic elsewhere.

[pieces o nine]

Keep us posted, Scrib.