A frequently asked question is whether a child born in the south to a Yankee couple is officially a southerner. The answer is NO. Yankee DNA does not change merely because of a persons location when born. If it did then yankees would be flying down by the thousands to have their children here.
Here are the scientific facts:
If a child is born to yankee parents while they are in the south then that child is still a yankee. DNA testing has confirmed this over and over again. Gene therapy has been attempted but donors have been difficult to find so progress in this area has been limited.
If the child marries a southerner they would have what we would call a mixed marriage. If the child marries a yankee then they are right back where they started and have made no progress whatsoever. This rarely happens since yankees hate each other even more than they hate southerners. It would be like eating at McDonalds when you live next to a 5 star restaurant.
Assuming the child of yankee parents marries a southerner, the children produced by that union would be eligible for full southern citizenship, but only under certain conditions. First of all, the original grandparents (full blooded yankees) need to be either dead or living in a foreign country. The reason for this is simple. Genetically, this child is still 50% yankee and any northern influence at this point could tip the scales and create yet another yankee. If you feel that the child needs grandparents then you may want to consider a surrogate program. The National Organization of Surrogate Elderly or NOOSE has a great program that provides grandparents in situations like this. The child will never know the difference and the results are phenomenal.
If two generations have passed and there has been no northern influence in a childs life then you should have yourself an honest to goodness southerner. But wait. There is no need to take any chances. Observe the child and look for the following characteristics –
- Holding a door open for strangers.
- Letting a lady go first in line. (applies to men)
- Waving at neighbors.
- Respecting people of all races.
- Treating others like they would want to be treated.
- Literacy and a desire to go beyond the 10th grade.
- Calm Even Temper. No sudden outbursts of cursing.
- Love of family and country.
- Love for the south and all it stands for.
If they exhibit all these characteristics then it is safe to say that your families heritage has been forever altered. Congratulations.