Why is everyone saying Knuckles and Julie-Su are cousins?

yes Dimitri is Julie-Su's Great (etc.) Grandfather and Knuckles' Great (etc.) Uncle. but isn't it possible Archie Comics didn't really think about that at the time? oder did Du people ever think Dimitri was from Lien-Da's mom's side in stead of Luger's? plus in the comics no one really sagte Knuckles and Julie-Su were cousins. besides even if Knuckles and Julie-Su are cousins, the relation is so distant they're basically NOT related at all! besides, think about this fact: we're ALL related to each other somehow