Who do you want to be the Democratic nominee in 2020?

[CapnAwesome]

Yeah, but if it's not true, wouldn't you want to know? I mean what about self examination and the value of truth? Two things I want in a leader. I mean I'd still probably vote for Warren if she's the nominee, but any Atheist who it doesn't at least give a little pause to, should be concerned about that way of thinking. 

Meh, I can't say I'm bothered much by people who embrace their families foundational myths and legends.  I actually happen to know that I'm a mutt..for example..but I embrace the white irish persona my family worked to craft and maintain. Understanding the exact spread of my genetics is unimportant to me..and it seems unimportant to her as well.

You can't just say 'I'm American Indian, I don't need to provide proof because I like being that way." So much so that she checked herself as Native American on college boxes. I mean, I'd at least want to know if the stories I was being told as a kid true. That's the thinking that lead me to being an Atheist in the first place.

I check all sorts of shit on those boxes for the straight up lulz...but reflexively hit cuacasian more often than not, just like I was taught to do.  I'm not sure why it's a problem..or why it would have vast and far reaching implications for her (or anyone else's) later career in politics.  

What is really the harm to Warren if it's not true? If your self identity is so tied up in being 1/8th native American, I think that just comes out as super goofy. Trump will hammer her on this over and over and over again. All the mid-western working class white votes he stole from Hillary will see her as a goofy northeastnerer who is saying that it's wrong to be white, even if you are a blond haired blue eyed lady who is so obviously white.

Plus if you said that sexism is a contributing factor for Hillary losing, it didn't magically go away. I think she's probably one of the only candidates Trump would have a chance at beating.

Trump will hammer her over and over on that even if she were 1/8th cherokee - some of his more economically anxious base would even find that prospect -worse- than her being a white girl.  The truth of the matter is wholly unimportant to him and his followers..as the narrative they've concocted demonstrates time and time again.  She's not a northeasterner either...she's from Oklahoma City Oklahoma...but like you said....won't stop them from seeing her that way.  The joke is funny because they're racist pricks who think affirmative action is victimizing them...not because she is or isn't native american, because she is or isn't eastern a goofy northeasterner, because she is or isn't saying that being white is wrong, or because she has or hasn't already addressed the issue at length and provided the appropriate mea culpa to the only people that would matter in this context....and it aint the trumpsters.

I doubt those white working class people in the midwest are 'racist pricks' just because they voted for Trump. You have to remember that those are the votes that voted for Obama and not for Hillary. The hardcore Trumpers, you are right, but the votes that the next democratic nominee needs to win back are those midwest working class. That's basically the votes that elected Trump, that Obama had won before. So I doubt that they are racist and I'm sure that calling them racist is not a winning strategy. We'll see what Warren does if she's the nominee. Other than that I agree with everything you wrote and I think it's within Warrens power to turn this into a non-issue, although she certainly won't by saying that Trump is being racist towards her, which isn't possible because she is white.

I think the best strategy would just to be honest, say "I didn't gain any advantage from saying I'm native american and nobody says that I did. I'm white and maybe cherokee or maybe not. It doesn't really matter."

I think that would probably be the best. That's not what she said though. She said that she prefers to believe her family over finding out the truth. We would verbally crucify a Theist on here for saying something like that. The problem with it is so obvious. It is just an error in thinking, in my opinion. The problem is that for some reason or another, it does matter to Elizabeth Warren that she's 1/8th Cherokee. So much so that she doesn't want to learn the truth. Or possibly she has learned that she's just a white lady already, and is hiding that. Could be possible. I've met lots of white people who identify with being a tiny bit Native and I don't think I've managed to not roll my eyes at a single one.

I think it's within Elizabeth Warren's power to nullify this as an issue, but only if she doesn't care if it's true or not. We'll see. I doubt she'll be the nominee anyway.

Oh a side note, my father always told me we were part American Indian, which turned out not to be true. I didn't feel my identity crumble away around me. It really shouldn't change anything or even be an issue at all.