Warrior Gene in Maoris: an article appearing in the Daily Telegraph Wednesday the 9th of August.

NEW Zealand Maori carry a “warrior” gene which has been linked to violence, criminal acts and risky behaviour, a scientist has controversially claimed.
New Zealand researcher Rod Lea and his colleagues have told an Australian genetics conference that Maori men have a: striking over-representation” of monoamine oxidase-dubbed the “warrior gene”-which they say is strongly associate with aggressive behaviour.
Dr Lea said his unpublished studies investigating rates of disease in Maori show they have the highest prevalence of the gene, found in many individuals but never linked to an ethnic group.
This could explain how migrated across the Pacific and survived as they have, said Dr Lea, a genetic epidemiologist at the New Zealand institute of Environmental Science and Research.
“Maori, being adventurous individuals as they crossed the Pacific, have carried this gene forward and it was partly responsible for them arriving in New Zealand.

This article makes a lot of sense, and confirms suspicions held by many people for a long time. I don’t think it’s a bad thing either-sure it means that you can’t enter certain pubs in New Zealand. But there is certainly a flip side to the “warrior gene” – Historian David Keegan says that New Zealanders (read Maoris) are the world’s best soldiers, according to Lieutenant Colonal Grossman, New Zealand has the third highest assault rate after America and the UK. Something that is slightly out of proportion to their population. The Maoris fought with particular acclaim during the Second World War the Vietnam War. Apparently the Vietnamese were terrified of them. My father once told me, that when he watches movies like Whale Rider or Once Were Warriors he gets worried, because he sees himself in those characters. When my Grandfather (who died when I was around two) was a little boy he got into a fight with his brother, almost killing him. From that day forward my Grandfather resolved to control his aggression, he must have succeeded, because when my Father met his Uncle’s wife in Tokyo, she told him that the whole of his Father’s family were aggressive, impulsive and arrogant, with the exception for his father Leo. (why not be arrogant if you could trace your lineage back to Hotoruoa?)
I also wonder if any other ethnic groups, I would put my bets on the Africans, everyone who goes to Iraq, raves about the courage of African-American soldiers. And probably the Pushtoons of Afghanistan (who were greatly admired by the British). Others could've made it onto my list but didn't: Scotland (which has the second highest murder rate after America, though they do include manslaughter in that statistic) they were renowned for the bravery and fierceness, but I think that has dissipated over the years. The Arabs, whilst aggressive, would be more anti-social then anything else, according to the Isrealis (who know them well) they aren't brave at all, and would usually run away, except when confronted by women-apparently their precious pride and honourcouldn't take running away from women! The exception of this is the Lebanese. But by and by, the Arabs would rather kill their women, and slaughter civilians then actually fight a war. This type of behaviour is often exhibited in school yard bullies. Arguably the Japanese could also make it onto this list with their fairly warlike history and samurai tradition, but aggression in the Japanese is far too controlled-they usuall only express it against Chinese, Koreans, and POW's.
This article is similar to an article which appeared in the Australian Financial Review on Friday 11th of August.
However this more focused on Criminal behaviour, as appearing in individuals, the second article went for pages and pages. Generally it viewed the tendency towards aggression as being something extremely negative-and possibly something to be controlled by special drugs.
I would disagree, I think that the natural tendency towards aggression should and can be channeled into the army, were such born warriors can be of service to the human race. Having said that I think there is a difference between the anti-social, the born soldiers, and the sociopaths. Anti-socials and sociopaths are not brave, and sociopaths exhibit sadism. But all three, can be used in the service of the state.
Ironically enough, the media, which endorses violence and criminality (Scream, Halloween, and a heap of Rap songs) is overwhelmingly anti-war, often portraying police officers as stupid and soldiers criminals. So at the same time that boys are being exposed to violence (at the same time they cuddle their girlfriends and eat lollies) they are discouraged from joining the Army or the police force-the only avenues where aggression can be gotten rid of safely.
But still an interesting article, are you reading this KP?