The prevailing view has been that clans, tribes, or ethnic groups were hostile to each other upon direct encounter. It is an assumption among paleogenomiciststhat migrating groups competed with each other for resources and were therefore pugilistic and uncompromising in their migration journey. Further, these conclusions were reached based upon the attitudes of society today.
Such scientific theories are now being challenged. Ancient Homo sapiens may have been cooperative and enabling of each other.
Recent advances in DNA analysis of ancient human remains have shed new light on the human story. Skeletal bones found on the island country of Vanuatu in Oceaniarender new evidence as to the true relationships and purpose of early mankind. Prehistoric settlers of this isolated archipelago were of mixed blood of diverse ethnic groups known to exist at the time. Pottery found in an ancient cemetery now supports the theory that the ancients shared societal advancement to the benefit of the entire human community. The pottery discovery carries artistic decoration distinct to one Asian culture. It was believed that the advancement of pottery was engaged in general. However, the artistic design was not transferred from group to group. This new discovery implies that early humans shared and respected everything together. This is not to assume that groups crossed paths and then immediately circled around a kumbaya campfire. But, there is no evidence that they went to war and killed each other either.
Ancient explorers leveraged each other with little or no conflict. Why? Because, for some yet unknown reason, mankind has been compelled to populate the earth. To the ancients, this was a common purpose of all mankind.
Scientists have yet to determine conclusive reasoning of evidence why prehistoric migration of Homo sapiens continued beyond environmental areas of comfort. When in Africa, why move North or East out of the tropics? At the end of the last ice age, why risk life and limb to trek across the Bering Straits to populate North America? Why move west from the Russian steps to populate Europe? Why continue to migrate when the current location was satisfactory in providing all critical needs of existence? And why continue to migrate from such a location when there was no immediate threat of a natural enemy? No other species has ever done this, only mankind.
The national press continues to disappoint. CNN immediately ran the headline that a white youth confronted an elderly Native American disrespectfully on the Capitol Mall. The image then went viral and all sides of the debate were intensified in their anger. The headline was wrong, and the story was at best a half-truth.
Available isover two hours of video which, when reviewed, tells a more complete story. The young man was part of a Catholic High School field trip to attend a March for Life rally. Black Hebrew Israelites were spewing inflammatory comments indiscriminately. The high school kids were playfully chanting a school cheer. The Native American elder approached them, not the Black activists, for the purported purpose of diffusing the tension. A member of the Native American entourage was recorded yelling, "White people go back to Europe. This is not your land!" This is hardly calming rhetoric.
The truth is probably that the provocation was caused because the youth was wearing a symbolic red hat that said“Make America Great Again.” This phrase is an anathemato Native Americans. To indigenous peoples, America was great when their culture possessed the land. The term implies a time when their constitutional rights were not respected. The good old days were not necessarily good for them. It is a time to which they do not wish to return. Little attention is given to the fact that the white young man was a child, caught in unanticipated circumstances. No attention has been given to the Black Israelite activists who may have been the inciters of the confrontation.
The national press continues to provide fuel for ethnic anger.
Recently a Buzz Feed article claimed that special prosecutor Mueller had evidence with corroborative proof that President Trump had directed his lawyer, Michael Cohen, to lie about Russian investments. Again, the national press went into frenzied feeding taking the report as fact and inflaming ideological partisans. In a rare and unprecedented action, Robert Mueller issued a statement denying the story. At least someone cares about the truth and the impact of unchecked falsehoods on the public.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi is denying access to the House Chamber for President Trump to deliver his state of the Union Message. The State of the Union Speech was established for the primary purpose of providing the explanation of a unifying message to the American people. Now, even that is being disrupted. It is as if no one cares about healing our divisions.
The press continues to operate for personalagenda in a negligently unprofessional manner. They are accountable to no one. They are incapable of policing or course-correcting themselves. They fail in lack of criticism of themselves for the detrimental effect of their spurious reporting.
We have had crisis conflicts throughout the history of our American democracy. In the fledgling days of our country, Marbury v. Madison set in stone the legal concept of judicial review. The Civil War was a result of intractable issues concerning states’ rights and individual rights. Today we are in multiple layers of conflict: divisions of government, factions in government, cultural and ethnic groups, states’ rights issues, and a belligerent agenda-driven press.
The common concern and moral commitment of all Americans must be to establish a platform of common purpose as a footing upon which to stand.
Anthropologists, in unanimity, refer to the one common ancestor of mankind as Eve. In the Bible, Eve was Adam's wife. Secular scientists use the term as an analogy to indicate that one woman is the seed of all mankind. Whether Biblical or scientific, the result is the same. Since the beginning of human history, we were one race with one common purpose. As Eve's family grew, migration began, possibly in and of itself as a purpose. When attempting to reach isolated locations, mankind cooperated and lived together. As the earth became inhabited, farming and the domestication of animals ensued. Some people then stayed, enjoyed the local environment and benefitted from the fruits of their labor. However, contempt of uncaring, unsharing, uncompromising selfishness was learned, not instinctive. Society has achieved success through structure. Sovereign states have a right to secure borders and protect their way of life. Yet, all cultures and ways of life should be respected in one common identity of one human race.
Prehistoricman pursued life and sought his purpose in cooperation with other ethnic groups. The DNA from the skull of Vanuatu indicates that neither culture nor skin color werean impediment to cooperation. In cooperating, they occupied the same land, apparently in peace. Perhaps in the lessons of the beginnings of human history, the lessons of the ancients could be applied today. 1
A sense of hopelessness permeates U.S. citizens’ psyche out of a feeling of powerlessness. What is an individual citizen to do about the state of dysfunction and conflict in which America finds itself? It begins with each individual determining what is the common purpose of a common human race. It is incumbent upon each of us to reject half-truths and hidden agendas. Racism, bigotry, and intolerance should never be tolerated.
The common decency, morality, and respect of dignity for each person’s definition of ‘love thy neighbor’ must be the common foundation on which society builds its infrastructure. Never yield to hate. And, believing in a common purpose can be a powerful solution.
It is coincidental that scientists use the term Eve as the reference for the Mother of Humanity. For in the Bible, it was God who gave Adam and Eve the instruction: keep My Commandments, tend to the environment, live in peace, go and populate the earth.
My name is Marc Nuttle and this is what I believe.
What do you believe?
1For more information on the Vanuatu skull, go to https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/magazine/ancient-dna-paleogenomics.html