Me saying blood doesn't carry character is like me saying we don't think with our hearts, like the ancient greeks thought we did. It doesn't mean I think we don't have a brain. It means I think bloodletting is disgusting.
> I sit here, armed with this knowledge, and I think to myself quite shamefully, You can take the man out of Syria but you can't take Syria out of the man.
Seems like author is punishing self for some relatives faults. There is absolutely no reason to feel shame in this case, in my mind.
Though I wouldn't say it would carry enough of a personality trait to be able to use the term seriously.