Looking for an opinion about a subject here!

[KirinMan]

The following quotes are from another forum that I post on and would like to hear how members here think about this subject. It is from a moderator on the forum, the forum is Okinawa based, but since it is in English only it is hard to get any reaction from any Japanese people and I would be curious to know the opinions of people here about this.

If anyone is interested in reading the entire thread from where this came from please feel free to PM me and I will gladly send you a link to the rest. I hesitate to put the link here since it is to another forum. A very small one, but a forum nonetheless. If a moderator/admin here gives the ok, then I will, however until then please PM for it. Thanks

Do people here believe in the idea/thought/theory that criminal behavior is inheirited, or a part of a persons DNA? Do you think that this kind of posting is racist? What are your thoughts? Thanks ahead of time for reading this.

Some of you may have a girlfriend or wife from Miyako -- or even a friend. If you ever want to see them get kinda peeved, just remind them that their roots/ancestors are all former criminals sent there for exile or crimes.

Okinawans often have a strong thought that behavioral traits and characteristics are retained in passing on of blood. Even in Japan at one time (and probably still somewhat today), families used to investigate the family of their child's fiance to see if there could be some past criminal connection or mental illness and then warn their child off from the marriage if it were found.

I have also talked to some older Okinawans that used to say Mainland Okinawans used to be strongly against their children marrying people from Miyako because of their past "link to criminality".

We all know that Australians have a similar history as a colony of criminals, but Australians can joke about it. Miyako people are sensitive to it. Needle them with it and experiment if you get the chance to see their reaction about the truth of their past.

Oh I almost forgot. Also remind them that since characteristics and behaviour are probably transferred through blood relations (ignore the research based studies of environment and nurturing) and that since they are from Miyako, they in all likelihood are criminals who have not been caught yet and are probably hiding something illegal they have done. Be persistent in telling them to confess their crime to you.

IF not, then tell them they are probably latent criminals and it is just a matter of time before they become a criminal.

Stay at it for a while and their nervous laughter will soon change and they will pop! IF they assault you, then that proves indeed your point that they are criminals. After all, assault is illegal.

Perhaps all Miyako ancestry people should carry special passports confirming they have undergone anger management course. After all, it appears to be in their blood.

Would you want a criminal marrying into your family?

[nice gaijin]

is this a joke? or is there a point in trying to upset people over their ancestry?

[tokapi]

According to this source,Japanese actress of Okinawan heritage 仲間 由紀恵 Nakama Yukie can trace ancestral roots to Miyako Island.

Post#12 ....

http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34346

[Derfel]

Lol the seed of nazism imo. This sound like complete bs.

[KirinMan]

Originally Posted by nice gaijin

is this a joke? or is there a point in trying to upset people over their ancestry?

No this is definetly not a joke, what started out, by this mod no less, as an attempt by him to push the envelope in seeing how people would react, has turned into, by said moderator, a very serious belief that there is something possibly different.

I sent you by PM the link to the forum thread in question, hope you dont mind. Some people there got seriously ticked off at the man, but were brushed off by the admin as well.

[Mikawa Ossan]

Originally Posted by Obeika

If anyone is interested in reading the entire thread from where this came from please feel free to PM me and I will gladly send you a link to the rest. I hesitate to put the link here since it is to another forum. A very small one, but a forum nonetheless. If a moderator/admin here gives the ok, then I will, however until then please PM for it. Thanks

I don't think it should be a problem. Thanks for your discretion, however!

[KirinMan]

Originally Posted by Mikawa Ossan

I don't think it should be a problem. Thanks for your discretion, however!

Thank you

Here is the link to the thread in question; An easy way to make people from Miyako Island angry

[Elizabeth]

Originally Posted by Derfel

Lol the seed of nazism imo. This sound like complete bs.

Unless this is a very, very pure, tightly bred population where virtually everyone is interrelated and one inherited characteristic (among many) happens to be a known predictor of violence (brain disfunction, low IQ, etc.) -- if you're even talking about violent crime -- then I agree. It sounds like a colorful expression of
superstitious folklore that is an embarrassment to the scientifically educated.

No one yet that I'm aware of has found any direct link between genetics and criminal behavior. It's not like there's a single gene for delinquency that can be switched off and shut down at will, just as there isn't for aggression, sexual orientation or any other complex set of behaviors.

[Derfel]

Well it certainly smells like segregation of a "sub-race" of the same race. On a different level, but its still nazism.

[scorpion da black]

if i was from miyako i would be pissed off.
no wonder they assult people who say that to them...
who the hell gives him self the right to label people as criminals...??????

[Derfel]

Well if i was from Miyako i'd be proud and tell them they better keep their mouths shot or i'll kick them so hard between the legs that they'll only become "fathers" if they join the clergy lol Im a villain after all, i must act like one.

[leonmarino]

If deviant behavior is indeed heriditary, I'd question whether the mod's ancestors have been plain morons.

But anyways, there is some proof that behavioral characteristics are hereditary. Famous are the tests with twins seperated at birth, but there are more arguments to believe so. Now the Human Genome Project is trying to map all the genes and the behavioral traits or diseases that they influence.

However, in case of criminal behavior.. I don't they have found a gene or a set of genes for it yet. And besides, I strongly believe that nurture (as opposed to nature) also plays a big part in human behavior.

It seems true that the Japanese are very sensitive to these kind of stories. The burakumin have been discriminated against for years! Poor them..

[Pachipro]

All one has to do is a little research as many Japanese do believe that criminal behavior is inherited. Just look at how they treat burakumin. If a background check discovers they are descended from them or, it is discovered an anscestor was a violent criminal with a background. They will usually not receive employment or allowed to marry as many sadly believe even today that these traits are inherited and passed down to offspring.

Not only in Japan either. They may not do background checks for behavior of ancestors, but many in the west believe that if one of the parents were a great actor, singer, sports star, etc. that the offspring will also be great in these fields when such is not usually the case.

[Derfel]

Yeah, much can depend on genes, but way more on luck

[KirinMan]

First off thanks for all of your replies here.

Question here; does anyone know of any studies being done in regards to genetic research on Asian's in particular related to this issue?

[leonmarino]

Originally Posted by Obeika

First off thanks for all of your replies here.
Question here; does anyone know of any studies being done in regards to genetic research on Asian's in particular related to this issue?

A quick search through scholar.google.com yielded no satisfactory results, but there might be some Japanese reports on it.. I can't type Japanese on the computers on the uni (grrr) so I'll get back on it later.

[scorpion da black]

genes do play a role in many things including behavior...
but i believe nurturing and raising an individual plays a bigger role..

so i think this is just playing evil to label people this way.

as for my knowledge, arabs make check on ancestors as well whan it comes to marriage, but not because we believe behavior is heredital, but to see how the person is raised and who raised him..
plus family is more important than individual here...so it is custome to ask about the family first.

[KirinMan]

Originally Posted by scorpion da black

genes do play a role in many things including behavior...
but i believe nurturing and raising an individual plays a bigger role..
so i think this is just playing evil to label people this way.
as for my knowledge, arabs make check on ancestors as well whan it comes to marriage, but not because we believe behavior is heredital, but to see how the person is raised and who raised him..
plus family is more important than individual here...so it is custome to ask about the family first.

I never knew that Arabs checked on ancestors before marriage, interesting, how many generations do they go back?

The thing is in the thread that I am refering to the OP is trying to make the argument that it lasts forever, or at least infers that through the post.

[Mars Man]

It is more than very clear--and I am more than willing to spend the time (once the holidays have arrived, that is) to go through all my old journals and books on the subject, and studies done that they all report on or speak of--that on the average neither nature nor nurture can be said to act alone in the forumlation of the individual.

That said, however, nurture building and development can only work on what genetics has given an individual. For that reason, it is concluded that nature is the prime decision maker.

Now, I have no recollection of any of these studies touching on only Asians, but as I pour over these papers and articles again, I'll try to keep that in mind.

Now, as for lasting forever, just off the top of my head, I'd say that would depend on gene pool purity--which probably is not something that lasts forever...mixing inevitably occurs along that way somewhere, sometime.

[leonmarino]

Couldn't find anything I'm afraid. Although I am interested if someone could find Imamura & Suzuki, '37 （今村・鈴木’３７）, which was used as a reference in an article I found: "The heredity of the new factor Q in human bloods" （新凝集原Qとその遺傅について、今村昌一） from 1951. The referenced article about Burakumin, so I wonder what it was about!!

[scorpion da black]

Originally Posted by Obeika

I never knew that Arabs checked on ancestors before marriage, interesting, how many generations do they go back?
The thing is in the thread that I am refering to the OP is trying to make the argument that it lasts forever, or at least infers that through the post.

just the parents, to see how the person is raised.
if his parents were praised, then their son/daughter will be as well.
if the parents were not, then they will be carefull in the way they deal with the man.
but that doesnt mean that the person will be judged by his ancestory...it is just to take a sense of caution before dealling with any person.

some times when a family is popular and dates way back, praised for heroic act, war vetrens, or decendants of prophets or famus leaders...the person will get more attention and more respect.

decendents of prophet Mohammed are treated with great respect and are called "ashraf" "the honored" out of respect to the family name.

and such, arabs are attached to their family and tribe names often...every framily knows what their roots are.

[nice gaijin]

so, where does that leave orphans, or children of broken homes/divorce? Is more "caution" exercised once people find that out about someone's upbringing, regardless of how the person acts? Isn't that the very definition of prejudice?

[scorpion da black]

Originally Posted by nice gaijin

so, where does that leave orphans, or children of broken homes/divorce? Is more "caution" exercised once people find that out about someone's upbringing, regardless of how the person acts? Isn't that the very definition of prejudice?

that is very true and unfortunate.

but it doesnt happen often.
orphans are greatly helped here, and are respected for the agonising fact of growing up alone.

[nice gaijin]

so, these people are judged based on the status of their parent's relationship, but it's ok because it doesn't happen so often?

[Annubis]

This seems like a classic case of cultural battles over superiority and inferiority. Battles like this rage on in many countries to this day. In 1883 "eugenics" was a way to differentiate defective people in Europe. Because it was seen as cutting-edge science, though, it took root in America as well. It caused exclusionary immigration laws which limited the entry of people with hereditary diseases and entire ethnic groups. In the late 20s, people who were poor, criminal, insane or ignorant of social norms were sterilized (ovaries and testicles removed). Hitler took this one step further and decided to kill the people he thought were unfit for society. In the 40s people who were violent and who did not conform to society were segregated in colonies. After WW2, the word "Eugenics" became taboo. People learned that there is no way to judge who is better or worse. We are all different.

I believe that this word is being forgotten. I also think that education is essential to being tolerant of different groups of people and their different walks of life.