Ive been teaching/helping people trace thier family roots for decades. It's something I find interesting--almost obsessive.

But recently Ive been coaching a friend through her research because she wants to prove her Native American heritage.

Lots of people have similar goals for thier research. Some want to "prove" they descend from a Revolutionary soldier--either as a matter of pride or for registry with the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution). In the first case, I see that pride is ok--but in the second--and in that of my friend--it seems a little racist. Or something-ist.

Why should some groups of people have special priveledges? Why should your bloodline decide if you are "entitled"?

Holding a "Native" card means lots of things--from discounts to land incentives and more. Being a member of the DAR can get you scholarships for education. Proving eligibility into "Founders of Ohio" or "Sons of the Confederacy" is supposed to give you some sort of social leg up over your "peers"--all based on who had sex sometimes hundreds of years ago rather than who you are and what you contribute to society.

Royalty is a great example. How is one automatically fit to rule just by bloodline?

But it goes further than that. Are you "white" just because only one of your grandparents was black? If so, is there a benefit to that? And vice versa of course--Ive known people who have been rejected in the black community because only one of thier ancestors were black. Seems to me there's no good purpose in that.

I think Im going to add discussion of this to my genealogy teaching. While I do believe that it's important to know your family history, I think it should be a matter of pride rather than entitlement.