BOB, I reread your original post and realized that I essentially was reiterating what you had said.  I agree that culture IS what makes us who we are and is what defines the lines between.  I think maybe what I was trying to express is the historical and prehistorical ironies (when taken in modern context) of cultural identities throughout central and north america.  IE, I find it interesting when people define themselves or others as american indians or mexican indians, when in fact they were at the same time neither mexican nor american nor anything so simple as "indian" but rather a multitude of genetically similar and culturally different people. 
Also, while reading your post I mistook "English decent" for some sort of anthropological stock term before I realized you meant descent which was funny to me.  i don't know why.
Adam- Its a shame that areas need to be policed by a few members of their own to keep people from ruining their own resources (the tragedy of the commons and all) and climbing has always had that problem but access is access.  Have you ever climbed lake travis?  If you like (incredibly cliched terminology coming up) deep water soloing, you can have a blast there, as long as you're careful where you bail off of.