Does Neanderthal DNA Make You Racist? [OPINION]

The other night I was watching a program on the History channel about Neanderthal man, and how DNA tests show that we have some of their genes. Some scientists blame the brutish nature of some of us and the lack of progress in acceptance of societal change on this DNA. Recently, I have had cause to believe if that is true, then some of us may have gotten a bigger dose of Neanderthal DNA than others.

This thought came to me as I watched a news program on television about some people protesting the use of a mixed race family in a Cheerios commercial. The commercial shows a white woman at the kitchen table talking to her daughter who is a mixed race child.

After hearing this commercial had been labeled racist by some, I remembered I had pointed it out to my wife as a “cute” commercial, something we were in agreement about. To tell the truth, I had to go back and watch it again to confirm the family was mixed race. I still thought it was just “cute,” which could be because I may have less Neanderthal DNA.

I think the people who found it offensive and racist may have too much Neanderthal DNA. This is something science needs to look into as a possible cure for people who look for problems where none exist.