Olivia Mitchell "We should expand our gene pool"

RDM_83 again

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/celtic-tiger-gene-pool-expansion-made-us-better-looking-says-mitchell-1.1969516

Basically Olivia Mitchell has said that the tiger era was a good thing because we need 'mobility of races' and that we have better looking and taller children because of it.

This is a weird enough thing to say for a politician as it already has a hint of Eugenics.
Where it gets shocking is that she also says

" I think it’s a good thing to keep
our IQs up there; it’s not just about
appearance.”

Which seems to indicate that she believes either, Irish IQ rates were at risk due to inbreeding or that there is a racial component to IQ which Ireland can benefit from due to migration. Both views are very weird things to say and not backed up by science.

posting this here rather than politics cafe as its more about the genetics thing than FG.

Giblet

I'd buy a mongrel over a thoroughbred tbh.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

How does this win votes?

Gongoozler

I'm not seeing any issues here myself. She's right. Though, I'm not sure why she would have said it. The country isn't depending on her for guidance on these matters.

ToddyDoody

So who shouldn't have kids then?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

ToddyDoody wrote: »

So who shouldn't have kids then?

Well, ideally Fianna Fail politicans. She may actually be on to something here...

Baron Kurtz

ToddyDoody wrote: »

So who shouldn't have kids then?

Howyas. Licence, please!:)

Sugar Free

It does seem like a poorly worded statement by her. I think genetic diversity is a good thing though, particularly for Ireland.

conorhal

Gongoozler wrote: »

I'm not seeing any issues here myself. She's right. Though, I'm not sure why she would have said it. The country isn't depending on her for guidance on these matters.

Except she's wrong, couldn't be more wrong in her libtarded eugenical understanding of genetic diversity. If you have a pool of 4 million people you have a massive pool of genetic diversity and people that fail to understand that, probably belong writing tiresome op-ed column’s for the Times because they wouldn't be left near a science or education brief.
Clearly Mitchell buys into the 19th Century Punch magazine caricature of the Irish as simian, potato munching drunks in need of a good injection of ‘superior DNA’ and the paternal guiding hand of a colonial master. It's nice to see that the Blueshirts have outgrown their fondness eugenics and facisism.
I'd love to hear her suggest that people in Guinea or Korea need a good injection of immigrant blood so they can be smarter, taller and less black or slanty eyed. Silly cow.
What next? Will she be telling sobbing parents in the departures lounge to cheer up, their kids aren't being shunted out of the country in increesing numbers, they're just adding to the genetic diversity of Canada and Australia! Though by the sounds of it Mitchell probably believes that we'll be dragging them down.

This BS from Mitchell really serves to underline what a contemptuous and traitorous political class we serve. Time to kick them out

kneemos

We need more supermodels,or women,as the east Europeans call them.

Duggy747

I'm so inbred I'm my own grandmother.

Ah-Hyuck!

Frank Lee Midere

She would be hounded for ever if her argument worked the other way.

Seanachai

Here we go again, at least three or four times a year some public figure, usually from the upper echelons of society makes a proclamation along the lines of 'The Irish are ugly', 'Irish men are ugly and need to learn how to groom themselves', 'Eastern European women are much more attractive than the Irish women'.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/celtic-tiger-gene-pool-expansion-made-us-better-looking-mitchell-1.1969516

Then there's the statement that immigration has 'improved our gene pool', I know a pretty broad range of people from different classes and Irish people having kids with non natives seems to be the exception to the rule. Generally immigrants tend to marry within their own groups. I think immigration up to a certain point is a healthy thing. Does she mean that they're improving the way we look to tourists just by having leggy Russian blondes living here and walking around the streets?.

Is there even any scientific evidence that there was a problem with our gene pool before the celtic tiger?. It just seems like a form of contempt or an upper class in Ireland trying to get some social engineering in for the ugly backward plebs that they have to pass on the street.

The One Doctor

“You can even see the better-looking and taller children now as a result of the Celtic Tiger years."

I'm reminded of Inspector Chalmers in The Simpsons:

"Class after class of ugly, ugly children."

There's something hauntingly... well, not fascist, but disturbing about Mitchell's comments. But then again, she is an idiot politician. People don't become politicians to prove their intelligence. It's to make up for a lack of it. Sort of like teachers, really.

Laois6556

More prove that they were right. We just changed the colour of our flag.

Balmed Out

Id wonder did she plan on what she said being taken very seriously.


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057311198

another thread same subject

Greenmachine

How enforceable is her idea that the fathers name is the birth cert. Guarantee there are plenty out there where the father is unknown.

Satriale

Blueshirt trying to kickstart Aryan race shocker...

humanji

Threads merged, you beautiful people.

Rightwing

Another silly politician, vastly overpaid and grossly underworked.

BrokenHero

In fairness. The lack of folk from the Emerald Isle featuring in porn flicks is a little suspicious.

Seanachai

The One Doctor wrote: »

I'm reminded of Inspector Chalmers in The Simpsons:

"Class after class of ugly, ugly children."

There's something hauntingly... well, not fascist, but disturbing about Mitchell's comments. But then again, she is an idiot politician. People don't become politicians to prove their intelligence. It's to make up for a lack of it. Sort of like teachers, really.

In a way it's probably a good thing that she's expressing these opinions because it exposes her. The psychopathic traits are kind of bubbling just below the surface a lot of the time anyway, it'd be great to see some similar outbursts from the Fine Gael bench, have Simon Harris foaming at the mouth about clearing anybody who isn't a big farmer off the land to create national parks. Sometimes when I see Michael Noonan being grilled it's like he's a hairs breadth away from exploding and spitting about how we should be grateful that we have bread and water. It's almost along the lines of George Bernard Shaw's philosophy and I've come across a fair few upper class Irish people with these kind of opinions.

Annasopra

Very odd musings from Mitchell

DeadHand

BrokenHero wrote: »

In fairness. The lack of folk from the Emerald Isle featuring in porn flicks is a little suspicious.

Probably more to do with the catholic guilt and innate conservatism deeply rooted in most Irish people than a lack of looks or skills.

Irish women are generally gorgeous within and without.

Satriale

DeadHand wrote: »

Irish women are generally gorgeous within and without.

I predict an inbox full of pms in your near future... :pac:

Seanachai

It could be that she attended some think thank or meeting in Brussels that's trying to push some sort of an immigration agenda. I think Fine Gael would try to bring in a hat tax if the EU told them to at this stage. Politicians make statements like this to test the waters and see what the push back is. It'd be a pretty random thing to say if there wasn't some sort of an intention behind it.

cloud493

I was hoping this was gonna be Olivia Wilde. I'd expand my gene pool with her.

DeadHand

Satriale wrote: »

I predict an inbox full of pms in your near future... :pac:

Psst...

Why'd you think I said it?

RobYourBuilder

If I was running against her in the next election, I'd print those quotes up and mail one to every house in her constituency.

biko

Inbredness is a problem for Iceland and Greenland and such places, not for Ireland. Particularly not with so many Brits moving over here to live and work. Think there is well over 100.000 Brits here.

lanos

Giblet wrote: »

I'd buy a mongrel over a thoroughbred tbh.

me too
its much cheaper to feed a dog
horses cost a fortune

sbsquarepants

Satriale wrote: »

I predict an inbox full of pms in your near future... :pac:

P.M.S

You forgot the full stops.
How dare you call me beautiful you sexist pig, I'm not a merely a thing for your enjoyment!:D

One eyed Jack

“You can even see the better-looking and taller children now as a result of the Celtic Tiger years. I think it’s a good thing to keep our IQs up there; it’s not just about appearance.”

Is this woman on the right planet at all? Does she even realise her use of the phrase Celtic tiger is a link to the origins of our genetically diverse population and an indication of how mobile we always have been? The Celts were originally from Central Europe!

A mere handful of immigrants from Eastern Europe, Asia or Africa doesn't change the genetic pool of a population in the blink of an eye so to speak, like what, ten years? Her comments are as assinine as the idiot young one in her constituency who talks about 'beautiful mocha babies' :rolleyes:

The deputy for Dublin South, warned of the dangers of reducing the diversity of the population’s genetic stock during a Dáil debate on the new requirement to register father’s names on children’s birth certificates.

“It is unacceptable that even as recently as last year, 2,675 children were born and registered without a father’s name on their birth certificate. I presume the number is roughly the same every year,” she said.

Ahh, utter shìte talk really, no polite way to say that.

Ms Mitchell said if fathers remained living in the same area over a number of years and had more children it was quite likely two of those children might meet without being aware of their shared parentage.

“[This] raises the possibility of relationships outside the permitted degree and certainly outside what would be wise. As a small island country we should be expanding our gene pool, not reducing it,” she said.

Irish people haven't done half bad as a nation where most people married within their own local community for centuries, plenty of genetic diversity there already, unless Ms. Mitchell has an issue with Celtic traits like ginger haired people? Doesn't seem to have done Ed Sheeran any harm, and Irish models are celebrated and in high demand in the fashion world for their red hair and pale skin looks! I think it's actually the reverse of the inward mobility Ms. Mitchell was talking about.

Contacted by The Irish Times about her comments , Ms Mitchell said she believed that the “mobilty of races” had had a positive impact on Ireland.

The poor woman has some upwardly mobile ideas alright, but as for racial mobility, I honestly don't think she has a clue what she's talking about. Perhaps she should have a word with her party colleague Michael Noonan and ask him for his opinions on children, specifically third children, as he quite famously seems to have issues with them and all!

These are the sort of clangers that make me laugh, as bad as Mary O' Rourke and her praise for "my staff have worked like blacks the last couple of weeks..."

*gasps of horror*, *tumbleweed* :pac:

Wibbs

One eyed Jack wrote: »

Is this woman on the right planet at all? Does she even realise her use of the phrase Celtic tiger is a link to the origins of our genetically diverse population and an indication of how mobile we always have been? The Celts were originally from Central Europe!

Slight problem there. We're not Celts. As for their origins, they're hard enough to pin down. The Classical writers had the Keltoi living in all sorts of places beyond their borders, north, east in gaul and iberia. In any event the Irish aren't Celts, neither are the Scots or Welsh. Celtic cultural influences reached us alright, but it seems their genetics didn't. Any DNA in the Irish population that has any links to central Europe of the Celts, is of a much more ancient origin if present at all.

Oh and we're not Basques from Northern Spain either(though links are stronger). The English aren't Saxon(or precious few are), the Basques it turns out aren't particularly ancient genetically even though their language is very old. It's all sorts of confusing and not so neat for that largely late 19th century fashion for somewhat invented culture and belonging.

One eyed Jack

Wibbs wrote: »

Slight problem there. We're not Celts. As for their origins, they're hard enough to pin down. The Classical writers had the Keltoi living in all sorts of places beyond their borders, north, east in gaul and iberia. In any event the Irish aren't Celts, neither are the Scots or Welsh. Celtic cultural influences reached us alright, but it seems their genetics didn't. Any DNA in the Irish population that has any links to central Europe of the Celts, is of a much more ancient origin if present at all.

Oh and we're not Basques from Northern Spain either(though links are stronger). The English aren't Saxon(or precious few are), the Basques it turns out aren't particularly ancient genetically even though their language is very old. It's all sorts of confusing and not so neat for that largely late 19th century fashion for somewhat invented culture and belonging.

No I know we're not Celts, but my point was more that the use of the term Celtic', 'Celtic tiger', was a link to their influence on our genetic diversity.

Now you mention the mobility of other "tribes"(?), I'm reminded how growing up and learning history my old man used lament the fact that the Romans never came to Ireland, given their influence in terms of engineering and infrastructure on the rest of Europe!

(actually just googling it now and there seems to be some controversy over whether they did or they didn't!

http://www.historyireland.com/pre-norman-history/hibernia-romana-ireland-the-roman-empire/ )

RobertKK

Maybe we should have better breeding programs for humans, like there is in the cattle breeding where genomics is used to pick the best bulls for insemination and the genomics of the female cattle can be determined for certain traits..
You could breed humans for higher intelligence, better work ethic, better health, better creativity, less prone to addiction...

Olivia Mitchell is advocating hybrid vigour which is also used in cattle breeding as you get a stronger animal with better health and a more diverse gene pool which brings many natural advantages.

Fact is a lot of farm animals are better bred due to the use of science than humans are.
Coming from a science perspective rather than taking things like love into account.

conorhal

RobertKK wrote: »

Maybe we should have better breeding programs for humans, like there is in the cattle breeding where genomics is used to pick the best bulls for insemination and the genomics of the female cattle can be determined for certain traits..
You could breed humans for higher intelligence, better work ethic, better health, better creativity, less prone to addiction...

Olivia Mitchell is advocating hybrid vigour which is also used in cattle breeding as you get a stronger animal with better health and a more diverse gene pool which brings many natural advantages.

Fact is a lot of farm animals are better bred due to the use of science than humans are.
Coming from a science perspective rather than taking things like love into account.

I've seen GATTACA. Down that route lies facism, same as it did the last time we gave it a go.

Oh, and we're not effin' cattle BTW.

Uncle Ruckus

Kind of racist comment. Actually its a very racist comment. She's basically saying Irish people are physically and intellectually inferior to other races. Oh and she threw in a bit of heightism for bad measure.

reprazant

Half the treads in AH are about how foreigners are better looking that Irish yet a politician says something similar and you have the same people foaming at the mouth.

Ranchu

biko wrote: »

Inbredness is a problem for Iceland and Greenland and such places, not for Ireland. Particularly not with so many Brits moving over here to live and work. Think there is well over 100.000 Brits here.

She's from Offaly though. How many Brits have moved there?

Manach

So a liberal minister begins to spout out nonsense about "expanding gene pools" and will likely be given a pass on this behaviour as the usual PC lobbying groups perceive she is one of theirs.

RobYourBuilder

Uncle Ruckus wrote: »

Oh and she threw in a bit of heightism for bad measure.

If you ironed her out she would be ten feet tall.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Manach wrote: »

So a liberal minister begins to spout out nonsense about "expanding gene pools" and will likely be given a pass on this behaviour as the usual PC lobbying groups perceive she is one of theirs.

We don't have any liberal ministers in Ireland.

RDM_83 again

Manach wrote: »

So a liberal minister begins to spout out nonsense about "expanding gene pools" and will likely be given a pass on this behaviour as the usual PC lobbying groups perceive she is one of theirs.

And by posters who would normally jump on any hint of racism, the thinking behind this statement is seriously weird, its actually taking 19th century eugenics and flipping on its head. And this isn't some internet blogger or random taxi driver she's a veteran td in the party of government.

Seanachai

RobertKK wrote: »

Maybe we should have better breeding programs for humans, like there is in the cattle breeding where genomics is used to pick the best bulls for insemination and the genomics of the female cattle can be determined for certain traits..
You could breed humans for higher intelligence, better work ethic, better health, better creativity, less prone to addiction...

Olivia Mitchell is advocating hybrid vigour which is also used in cattle breeding as you get a stronger animal with better health and a more diverse gene pool which brings many natural advantages.

Fact is a lot of farm animals are better bred due to the use of science than humans are.
Coming from a science perspective rather than taking things like love into account.

I think you'd like George Bernard Shaw's writings so,

http://www.worldfuturefund.org/wffmaster/Reading/Biology/Eugenics.htm

diomed

Way to go Fianna Gael.
Take the spotlight off Gerry Adams as he denies he ever heard, saw, or did anything ever.

the dark phantom

Ranchu wrote: »

She's from Offaly though. How many Brits have moved there?

Well Doh !! The first English plantations were placed there..

Nodin

Manach wrote: »

So a liberal minister begins to spout out nonsense about "expanding gene pools" and will likely be given a pass on this behaviour as the usual PC lobbying groups perceive she is one of theirs.

She's not one of mine.


If you read the full article it comes across more as sheer snobbery than anything else. Typical blueshirt.

Seanachai

One eyed Jack wrote: »

No I know we're not Celts, but my point was more that the use of the term Celtic', 'Celtic tiger', was a link to their influence on our genetic diversity.

Now you mention the mobility of other "tribes"(?), I'm reminded how growing up and learning history my old man used lament the fact that the Romans never came to Ireland, given their influence in terms of engineering and infrastructure on the rest of Europe!

(actually just googling it now and there seems to be some controversy over whether they did or they didn't!

http://www.historyireland.com/pre-norman-history/hibernia-romana-ireland-the-roman-empire/ )

There is evidence that there was some form of roads before the Romans in Ireland and the UK and they just expanded on them. Some of them were made of wood!. They may also have been trading on a limited scale with some of the Irish. If we had chariots they must have some form of straight tracks at least to travel on.

The One Doctor

RobertKK wrote: »

Maybe we should have better breeding programs for humans, like there is in the cattle breeding where genomics is used to pick the best bulls for insemination and the genomics of the female cattle can be determined for certain traits..
You could breed humans for higher intelligence, better work ethic, better health, better creativity, less prone to addiction...

Olivia Mitchell is advocating hybrid vigour which is also used in cattle breeding as you get a stronger animal with better health and a more diverse gene pool which brings many natural advantages.

Fact is a lot of farm animals are better bred due to the use of science than humans are.
Coming from a science perspective rather than taking things like love into account.

Did you shorten your username from RobertKKK?

Here's the problem with your theories: We're not farm animals.

Jesus H.

Armchair Nazis seem to be on the rise.

RobertKK

It is a wonder in science they test things on mammals that are intended for human use.
We have a lot in common with other mammals, which includes farm animals.
I am not advocating breeding programs for humans, however there is a case that could be made for women who want to use donated sperm to have a child, that the genomics of the donor influence the decision if the person is a suitable donor.

I said hybrid vigour brought advantages, yet I was referred to as RobertKKK, which was strange.
Hybrid Vigour would be something like breeding a human of lets say African origin with someone of lets say Irish origin. The resultant child would gain from the genetic diversity. Genetically superior to the parents. I don't think the Nazis would like...
Science seems to go over the heads of some people.