Bill, Yes, we all deserve accurate and fair reporting of ALL known facts in this case and in any research........not politically correct manipulation of known results for various agendas and the tainting of our children's textbooks. I am no authority on DNA either, however explaining this case is simple and I am sure you will understand. I assisted Dr. Foster with the test. He gathered DNA from 19 sources. He took it to the University of Virginia Medical Department where some processing was made as I understand it. He then delivered the DNA raw research to England and it was tested there and in two other locations. As early as June 1998 he had the results back, however the Nature Journal article was not to appear until Nov. 5, 1998. His whole mission was to prove or disprove that the Carr brothers were a match or not with anyone (the history books stated they were suspects.) When there was NO match for them there was NO OTHER person left in the equation except Thomas Jefferson. All family genealogy I had given Dr. Foster to use in considering results was NOT given Nature and THUS they issued (or negotiated) at false and misleading headline, "Jefferson fathers slaves last child", a complete LIE........but that is what the media was awaiting. US News and World Report and other media supposedly jumped the Nature "embargo" on the story. Many charges and assumptions arose, like why was it conveniently released one day prior to election, why was it used to support the sitting president's position for non impeachment and other agendas evolved. DNA of unbroken male line surnames was required, but only ONE Hemings was tested. The Hemings family will not give permission to test another later found male...they are happy with their oral family history. You mention that you are unpersuaded by my stance and state that Monticello takes a neutral stance. I beg to differ and site a few things for you. Do you consider a Monticello statement that not only one but possibly ALL of Sally's children had the father, Thomas Jefferson is accurate? MY what a NON-scientific statement from the center of Jefferson research. Dan Jordan, Monticello President, knows well what the DNA proved.....: NO DNA match for the long held and MAJOR beliefs of the Woodson Family. He also knew well that ONLY ONE Hemings matched "some" Jefferson DNA.........NOTHING proves that it came from Thomas. The DNA does not honor given names. He also was informed of the existance of the Hemings male descendant, William Hemings, months prior to his release of his Research Report. Not only did he not persue this lead but he told me to NOT pressure the Hemings and he made no effort to suggest that they permit the test, what kind of selective research is this? His above mentioned report was released with a Minority Report from an employee member of this study group, Dr. Ken Wallenborn, MISSING. Upon learning of this DENIAL of an important Minority Report I contacted the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation and requested an investigation. Dr. Wallenborn was issued an apology by Dr. Jordan and his report may now be read on www.angelfire.com/va/TJTruth anmd www.tjheritage.org. The full Scholars Commission Report (13 prominent full professors) may also be found here and they were critical of some of the Monticello assessments. Bill, I agree with your statements about whether Jefferson fathered slave children or not......I also care less, HOWEVER, to me revelation of accurate truth is important. That is why I and others founded the Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society and that is why honest scholars volunteered their independant study of over a year to bring the truth of the findings to the public. Just as in medicine.......ALWAYS ask for a second opinion. no one has a strangle hold on Mr. Jefferson's legacy...we all own his legacy and that angers some people. He is innocent of such charges. Herb Barger Jefferson Family Historian -----Original Message----- From: Bill Cross [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Monday, March 27, 2006 6:29 PM To: Herbert Barger; [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Are Martha Jefferson and Sally Hemings Half-Sisters? Mr. Berger, I would like to say that I support a truthful exploration of the facts concerning President Jefferson and his slave, Sally Hemings. I do not have a full understanding of the DNA science involved, nor its conclusions, and freely admit so in advance. I am in this a lay person who has followed the passionate debate with interest and curiosity. I have looked at accounts on both sides of the issue, and am unpersuaded by your vehemence in the matter. Even Monticello takes a neutral stance, given the paucity of evidence in this matter. However, I should like to state for the record that as a descendant of the Old Dominion (via Missouri), and with ancestors who fought for the preservation of slavery, IT MAKES NOT ONE WHIT OF DIFFERENCE TO ME WHETHER JEFFERSON FATHERED SLAVE CHILDREN OR NOT. Please forgive my use of capitals, but I have detected in this discussion, and for years in other discussions about the topic, a repugnance at the thought, as if it made any real difference, that Jefferson might have black descendents, and an indignation at those who would advance the theory. If I misunderstand your position, I apologize. While it would be interesting to know whether Sally Hemings was, in fact, Jefferson's mistress, it would not take one scintilla of greatness away from him, nor would it reduce in any way his standing as one of our greatest presidents. Those who decry the hypocrisy of the author of the Declaration of Independence having carnal relations with his "property" fail to note the deeper hypocrisy the Founding Fathers perpetrated on this country, when they announced the birth of their new nation by stating that "all men are created equal," then left the institution of slavery intact and for another generation to tackle. Divisions over slavery undermined the health of the new country almost from the start, and led inexorably to the Civil War. While there are those who today try to minimize that importance of slavery as the cause of that conflagration, any open-minded person who reads widely in the literature of the period will see that nothing else so consumed men and women on both sides. But I digress. Bill Cross -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. 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