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Message: <blockquote data-quote="TheCosmicKid" data-source="post: 7479490" data-attributes="member: 6683613">(this is the part where I might piss off  [MENTION=57112]Gradine[/MENTION])Nobody is responsible for the acts of their ancestors. Our Constitution prohibits both hereditary titles and corruption of blood*; it is contrary to our founding ideals to either fetishize or demonize those whose genetic material we happen to carry. Among my ancestors there might be Jefferson Davis or Elizabeth Báthory or Genghis Khan... but screw 'em, I'm not them, I'm me and I'll choose my own path. That's the American way.Furthermore, there is a principle in moral philosophy (one that is accepted by consensus a lot more strongly than most things in the field) that "ought" implies "can". That is to say, questions of what is morally right and wrong only have bearing on things that are possible. Because it is impossible to change the past or to erase you from existence, we cannot say that you morally shouldn't exist. You do exist. That is a fixed and unchangeable fact. All moralizing has to start from there.*Yeah, I know, but the general principle is clearly present in the subtext.</blockquote>