Mutant registration act.

[Docturphil]

I know the original question was probably intended as moralizing, but I'm just the guy to get caught up on technicalities. Like how do you define a mutant when every single human has a different genetic code? Who would establish a baseline and how? How much deviation would be tolerated, bearing in mind that 99% of human DNA is shared?

Yeah that certainly presents a problem. IMO there has to be a certain threshold. Like if you have a split tongue capable of a heightened sense of smell and whatever else snakes can do with that shit, well we can probably just dismiss that. If you can mind control people, however, well that becomes a serious concern.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

I know the original question was probably intended as moralizing, but I'm just the guy to get caught up on technicalities. Like how do you define a mutant when every single human has a different genetic code? Who would establish a baseline and how? How much deviation would be tolerated, bearing in mind that 99% of human DNA is shared?

Well, if we use the Marvel Comics definition of the term mutant it's actually fairly specific.

A mutant is a being (usually otherwise human) who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities. Human mutants are considered to be of the subspecies Homo sapiens superior or simply Homo superior, an evolutionary progeny of Homo sapiens, and are considered the next stage in human evolution, though whether this is true or not is a subject of much debate in-universe.

People like Spider-Man, Captain America, and The Fantastic Four are not mutants by Marvel's definition. They are more commonly referred to as Enhanced Human or Altered Human

[Flarelaine]

Yeah that certainly presents a problem. IMO there has to be a certain threshold. Like if you have a split tongue capable of a heightened sense of smell and whatever else snakes can do with that shit, well we can probably just dismiss that. If you can mind control people, however, well that becomes a serious concern.

Ah, but how do you write that into law? I mean, common sense can probably decide, but we are discussing legislation. I suspect the best approach would be delegating this to expert panels somehow, but there would still need to be a framework.

- - - Updated - - -

Well, if we use the Marvel Comics definition of the term mutant it's actually fairly specific.

It is, right. And the mumbo-jumbo about being a different species is a steaming pile of bullshit - they can still breed with garden-variety humans which, after all, is the very definition of a species.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

It is, right. And the mumbo-jumbo about being a different species is a steaming pile of bullshit - they can still breed with garden-variety humans which, after all, is the very definition of a species.

Subspecies...not species. It's no different than Cro-magnon breeding with Neanderthal.

[Docturphil]

I mean, nobody can force you to back up your claims, but outright refusing to do so because "it's just the internet man," is basically a good reason to just laugh in your face and ignore anything you say.

As weak as your "source" is, you're making it even worse by blatantly misrepresenting what little it says.

Perhaps you should read more than just the first post.

Anyways, I'm not going to argue with you about who all is descended from a slave. That doesn't really matter. That's not really the point I was trying to get at. The point I was trying to get at is that slavery in your distant ancestry is no excuse for the current state of your life. It's in the past. It is no longer directly effecting you. The end.

[Flarelaine]

Subspecies...not species. It's no different than Cro-magnon breeding with Neanderthal.

They were talking species when I was actually reading the comics. I take it someone called them out on it. Yeah, that is a good analogy.

[Docturphil]

Ah, but how do you write that into law? I mean, common sense can probably decide, but we are discussing legislation. I suspect the best approach would be delegating this to expert panels somehow, but there would still need to be a framework.

I mean you would have to make a law which basically said any ability which would give someone a significantly greater power to commit a felony would warrant tracking that person in some way. Of course you would have to define the fuck out of what exactly constituted an "ability which would give someone a significantly greater power to commit a felony" meant. IDK... I've never made a law.

[ComputerNerd]

It would be like registering someone based on their hair colour.
They did not choose it.

While I understand the desire to track dangerous individuals, there is absolutely going to be abuse of such a list.
There is no "good solution" either way, pros and cons of having or not having a list.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

They were talking species when I was actually reading the comics. I take it someone called them out on it. Yeah, that is a good analogy.

The more sciencey type characters (like Professor X, Beast, etc) have usually used the term "subspecies"...though a lot of the more ignorant types do refer to humans and mutants as separate species....much like how real-world racists sometimes still refer to non-whites as being inferior species as well.

[Flarelaine]

If most mutant powers would be limited to "a girl talking with her eyes" and "a guy who can make your noodles taste like potatos", nobody would give a crap.

I've just realized that the latter would actually be an awesome power. I could finally get my daughter to eat healthy.

[Kithelle]

What good would it do? Sure the honest ones will be honest and register...but the ones who don't want to register are going to avoid it...and if you force people to register you're just going to piss off those weapons of mass destruction...and if someone like Magneto comes around and gathers said pissed off WMDs...we have a war that could kill lots of innocent people.

Except this would be real life and not the comics...things would be a LOT worse...see a hell of a lot more innocents killed. Better off having a covert group monitoring and policing mutant activity...at least that can be a little more *quiet* and maybe a little less likely to have a oppressed group of WMDs attacking innocent people because they're pissed at how they're being treated.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

I've just realized that the latter would actually be an awesome power. I could finally get my daughter to eat healthy.

I'd be pretty disappointed if my mutant ability was to make things taste like potato when my next door neighbour can teleport, climb walls, and use a sword with his prehensile tail.

[LaserChild9]

Indeed...but that was only thought of years (in comic books time...decades in real world). I'm talking specifically about the acts that were raised against Mutants and only mutants...in spite of other super-powered individuals running around that were just as dangerous. It's hard to call these bills anything but "mutantphobia"

True, but what would the X-men comics have been like if everyone loved mutants? The hatred and oppression made up a big part of the X-men lore. I can see the logic behind it with mutants (even though I disagree with the idea), mutants were popping up left right and center and were all ages whereas at the time superhumans usually came from industrial accidents and were relatively rare by comparison and it certainly didn't help that Magneto was trying to unite all mutants against humans. There were probably more mutants in each issue of X-men than in all other Marvel comics combined each week at the time.

[Flarelaine]

I'd be pretty disappointed if my mutant ability was to make things taste like potato when my next door neighbour can teleport, climb walls, and use a sword with his prehensile tail.

Right until government scientists come up with stuff to subdue those mutants and you can just wave at the SWAT team taking your neighbour.

[Kithelle]

I'd be pretty disappointed if my mutant ability was to make things taste like potato when my next door neighbour can teleport, climb walls, and use a sword with his prehensile tail.

Well at least you could stomach healthy foods that you normally couldn't (If there are any you don't like) it's power you could easily hide, and you wont have to be very worried about people coming after you for said power.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Right until government scientists come up with stuff to subdue those mutants and you can just wave at the SWAT team taking your neighbour.

To quote Charles Xavier:

"I feel a great swell of pity for the poor soul who comes to that school...looking for trouble"

Besides...what's to stop that SWAT team taking you away as well? You're just as much of a "mutie" as he is. And your daughter might be as well.

[LaserChild9]

I'd be pretty disappointed if my mutant ability was to make things taste like potato when my next door neighbour can teleport, climb walls, and use a sword with his prehensile tail.

What if you could also eat the potatoey (?) food with a prehensile tail too though?

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Well at least you could stomach healthy foods that you normally couldn't (If there are any you don't like) it's power you could easily hide, and you wont have to be very worried about people coming after you for said power.

You can still pass the "X-Gene" to your offspring. That makes you dangerous.

[Flarelaine]

To quote Charles Xavier:

"I feel a great swell of pity for the poor soul who comes to that school...looking for trouble"

Besides...what's to stop that SWAT team taking you away as well? You're just as much of a "mutie" as he is. And your daughter might be as well.

I suspect I would be pretty far down on their list with that kind of power. Unless they want me to cover the taste of, say, polonium in a cup of tea.

Oh, and you know they keep coming up with stuff against mutants. Some of it even works.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

What if you could also eat the potatoey (?) food with a prehensile tail too though?

If the "Potato Power" is a bonus on top of other, more useful, powers then sure...that's cool. If it's the only power I have though...lame.