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Race row professor and policeman 'may be distant cousins'
Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | July 30, 2009 | Tom Leonard

Posted on 07/29/2009 11:14:16 PM PDT by Schnucki

As if their White House bonding session over a few beers later today couldn't get any more bizarre, it has now emerged that the prominent US black academic and the white policeman who controversially arrested him may be distant cousins.

Prof Henry Louis Gates and Sgt James Crowley are both descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages, a 4th century Irish warlord who was renowned for his prowess on the battlefield and the bedroom.

In a television series on African-American ancestry which the Harvard academic hosted last year, Prof Gates discovered he was descended from an Irish immigrant and a slave girl.

When he visited Trinity College, Dublin, to have his DNA analysed, he was told he shared 10 of the 11 DNA matches with the offspring of Niall.

The warlord, whose dynasty lasted until the 16th century, had so many offspring that geneticists believe that as many as three million other people alive today are descended from him.

They are understood to include Mr Crowley, a police officer in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who took part in a now infamous confrontation with Prof Gates earlier this month.

President Obama has also got Irish blood and the possibility of shared kinship will give the trio something to talk about if the discussion about race relations starts to flag.

Mr Obama offered to host a get-together around the picnic table in the White House garden this evening in an effort to to quell a continuing row over claims that Prof Gates was a victim of police racism.

The US media has been poring intently over the encounter, even analysing the significance of the brand of beer each man has chosen.

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: cousins; crowley; fartyshadesofgreen; gates; helixmakemineadouble; henrylouisgatesjr; ireland; massachusetts; mrskippy; niallofthe9hostages

1 posted on 07/29/2009 11:14:17 PM PDT by Schnucki
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To: Schnucki

Holy bullshit Batman!!!!!


2 posted on 07/29/2009 11:28:42 PM PDT by hflynn (The One is really the Number Two)
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To: Schnucki

Must be members of the “Black Irish” clan.

If my mother was my sister, I’d be my brother.


3 posted on 07/29/2009 11:32:11 PM PDT by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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To: Schnucki

I wish I could make up stuff like that.


4 posted on 07/30/2009 12:09:28 AM PDT by Kirkwood ( O|||||O)
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To: hflynn

Excuse me while I go throw up..


5 posted on 07/30/2009 1:56:02 AM PDT by Disgusted in Texas
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To: Schnucki
President Obama has also got Irish blood

Editing and proofreading are lost arts.
6 posted on 07/30/2009 2:15:00 AM PDT by GodBlessRonaldReagan (Refugee from the World of Doomed Olsens)
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To: Schnucki

I knew this would turn out to be a domestic squabble.


7 posted on 07/30/2009 2:32:24 AM PDT by Prodigal Son
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To: Schnucki

The whole incident points out the absurdity of “race”. Who is someone who has African and recent European roots...like Gates and Obama? Are they members of some sort ethnic group ie. black, white, mixed? Or are they just human beings?How about: just human beings.


8 posted on 07/30/2009 3:18:48 AM PDT by driftless2 (for long term happiness, learn how to play the accordion)
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To: hflynn; shibumi

“Prof Henry Louis Gates and Sgt James Crowley are both descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages, a 4th century Irish warlord who was renowned for his prowess on the battlefield and the bedroom. “

Oh fer God’s sake.
So am I.
Do I get to booze it up with Obozo, too?


9 posted on 07/30/2009 3:41:10 AM PDT by Salamander (Cursed with Second Sight.)
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To: GodBlessRonaldReagan

At least they didn’t write “gots”....:)


10 posted on 07/30/2009 3:42:27 AM PDT by Salamander (Cursed with Second Sight.)
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To: shibumi

6 degrees of separation/Kevin Bacon ping.


11 posted on 07/30/2009 3:43:39 AM PDT by Salamander (Cursed with Second Sight.)
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To: driftless2

It lacks hyphens.

Fix that and maybe it’ll fly....:)


12 posted on 07/30/2009 3:44:38 AM PDT by Salamander (Cursed with Second Sight.)
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To: hflynn
Yeah, and my great great grandfather ruled Swaziland and had 50 wives. You can't make this stuff up. Found it very curious they had to mention what kind of beer each of the participants requested for their racial beer fest. Gates asked for a Red Stripe. No surprise there. Crowley asked for a Blue Lagoon. Never heard of it. And Barry asked for a Bud Light. I would have thought it would have been a 40oz. Colt 45 with the prerequisite paper bag or maybe MadDog 20/20.
13 posted on 07/30/2009 3:58:16 AM PDT by RU88 (Bow to no man)
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To: Schnucki
Gates is descended from an Irish Immigrant and a slave girl...and it still doesn't make them cousins...

I'm sure that creating false DNA histories is big business....

14 posted on 07/30/2009 4:02:56 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: Schnucki

Every time I think of this Beer Sumit I can’t get the skit on SNL of Chevy Chase and Richard Pryor out of my head.


15 posted on 07/30/2009 6:30:17 AM PDT by 70th Division (I love my country but fear my government!)
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To: Salamander
"Oh fer God’s sake. So am I. Do I get to booze it up with Obozo, too?

I'm not (and I'm ~real~ particular with whom I drink.)

Actually I'm descended from Grame the Caledonian (which makes me an original "cracker") and Svengard the SpamHanded, Viking Warlord who conquered British culinary institutions with Swedish processed canned meats.


16 posted on 07/30/2009 9:50:19 AM PDT by shibumi (" ..... then we will fight in the shade.")
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To: RU88
Colt 45 is for sissies.

Barring that, he should get a 6 pack of Mickeys.

The hornet on the label isn't there for nothing.


17 posted on 07/30/2009 1:28:19 PM PDT by Salamander (Cursed with Second Sight.)
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To: driftless2

I think race baiters are all just “Dummass-Americans”...


18 posted on 07/30/2009 1:30:18 PM PDT by MrB (Go Galt now, save Bowman for later)
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To: Schnucki

Here is what I want to know. Why during the campaign was it bad for people to be “Joe six packs” and elites looked down on them (us) Now with the beer summit, it is the greatest thing since sliced bread.


19 posted on 07/30/2009 1:40:11 PM PDT by momto6 (HTML is kinda cool)
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To: MrB
"race-baiters"

I tend to agree. Greedy dumbass Americans.

20 posted on 07/30/2009 11:48:10 PM PDT by driftless2 (for long term happiness, learn how to play the accordion)
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