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From: "Roberta J. Estes" <>
Subject: [DNA] 60 Minutes Genetic Genealogy Segment
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2007 17:16:12 -0400
In-Reply-To: <fecrd4+7824@eGroups.com>


The thing I think I found the most disturbing about the entire segment was
that the fact that Family Tree DNA showed several matches was portrayed like
they were incompetent or worse, fraudulent. As we know, we love it when we
get multiple matches, whether it's people or REO matches. I think that Vy
was set up to believe that she would get "the answer". While we know that
isn't true, take a look at African Ancestry's web page. It does say "one
simple test can identify your familys country of origin" and it further
states on their web page that they can tell you the area in African where
your lineage is found today. I wonder if they have multiple matches, like
Family Tree DNA did, if they report multiple matches or if they just report
the "best" match as their tribe. I can see why someone would think they
would get "the answer". Family Tree DNA is much less specific, which is
much more honest, stating that they can identify the suggested region of
origin. That's not hardly a tribal match and I wouldn't think one would
construe it to be, although were I African American and saw those two ads,
I'd likely pick the African Ancestry one because it looks like you're
getting more specific information. Trace Genetics says nothing about
African matches at all specifically on their web page. Clearly we can't
check Relative Genetics anymore to see what their page said.

Having said all of that, I think it was grossly unfair to set Vy up like
that and present her with "the answer", then give her other answers. To
show her disappointement live like that was a slap in the face to all of the
testing companys, the education, the surname administrators, and the
genealogists who work with our families and participants all of the time so
they will understand their results. It was also unfair to her and somewhat
insulting. As genetic genealogists, none of us would ever expect that any
yline or mtdna sequence would be relegated to only one tribe, or one town,
or one anything. Certainly with all of the internal upheaval in African in
the past few centurys alone, intermixing of tribes as they migrate towards
cities would be expected. In Africa, they have had 10s of thousands of
years to intermarry tribally, or to redefine tribes completely, so why would
anyone expect otherwise.

I think that was a grossly unfair piece of reporting. I think that the
legal aspect was unwarranted. They treated this topic like they were trying
to investigate some shady scam. Confusing, yes, perhaps to some. Shady,
hardly. I lost any respect I ever had for this show, and unfortunately in
the light of other recent reporting tactics, for the news media as a whole.
I will always watch everything else through the filter of realization of how
multiple matches could somehow be twisted to be portrayed as incompetence
bordering on fraud.

What a shame. They could have done such a nice, positive, encouraging,
wholesome, family oriented piece.

Roberta Estes



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