James Watson Won’t Stop Talking About Race

New York Times ^ | January 1, 2019 | Amy Harmon

[reaganaut1]

It has been more than a decade since James D. Watson, a founder of modern genetics, landed in a kind of professional exile by suggesting that black people are intrinsically less intelligent than whites.

In 2007, Dr. Watson, who shared a 1962 Nobel Prize for describing the double-helix structure of DNA, told a British journalist that he was “inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa” because “all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours, whereas all the testing says, not really.”

Moreover, he added, although he wished everyone were equal, “people who have to deal with black employees find this not true.”

Dr. Watson’s comments reverberated around the world, and he was forced to retire from his job as chancellor of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island, although he retains an office there.

He apologized publicly and “unreservedly,’’ and in later interviews he sometimes suggested that he had been playing the provocateur — his trademark role — or had not understood that his comments would be made public.

Ever since, Dr. Watson, 90, has been largely absent from the public eye. His speaking invitations evaporated. In 2014, he became the first living Nobelist to sell his medal, citing a depleted income from having been designated a “nonperson.’’

But his remarks have lingered. They have been invoked to support white supremacist views, and scientists routinely excoriate Dr. Watson when his name surfaces on social media.

[Stosh]

“I find it interesting that blacks deem themselves more athletically superior to whites.”

From Steve Sailer, at Takmag:

“Similarly, all starting cornerbacks in the NFL have been black since Jason Sehorn retired after the 2003 season. That’s two cornerbacks times 15 seasons times 32 teams, or 960 out of 960 data points.”

Sailer’s point was that it’s not unreasonable to assume sprint speed (the athletic factor he was focussing on here) has a strong genetic component, and then (as others have noted), if that quality varies with race, why not others?

But what should be emphasized (and what is generally noted by people like Sailer): these patterns tell us *nothing* about any individual - who’s to say some Asian guy might not become the greatest cornerback ever, or some black woman might not dominate some given area of science? The point Sailer tries to make is that “disparate impact” arguments are largely bull-pucky, since we don’t know how much racial differences are due to nature, and how much to nurture. Bottom line - one judge’s individuals as individuals; and one does not assume that differences in outcomes by race are necessarily the result of discrimination.

[Raymann]

You’re right but again that only matters to the collectivists. The only equality that matters is the equality of rights. Not even opportunity because sometime life just sucks and certainly not outcome.

[doorgunner69]

The mention of the total failure that is Africa is accurate. That is clearly a racial outcome, not enough on the upper end of the bell curve to make any progress.

[yesthatjallen]

Slate and The Atlantic don't allow comments when they throw lit gasoline.

The Hollywood Report also seems to have dropped their comments completely.

[doorgunner69]

I find it interesting that blacks deem themselves more athletically superior to whites.

My cats are athletically superior to me. What correlation can you make of that?

Some might claim it shows that negros are closer to whatever animal we evolved from, but that would be racisssss.

[shoff]

Interesting article. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories is a very interesting place. Beautiful setting. Did quite a lot of work there, never met the doctor but would see his son kind of walking around with a lost look among the scientists.

[higgmeister]

Genetic finger pointing serves no good purpose.   For far longer than sixty five years it has been know that Black genetic characteristics are dominant within the Human race.   Blue eyes are recessive, as is blonde hair and fair skin.   This fact clearly indicates the dominant traits came first.   Anyone claiming mutant intellectual superiority should seek to join the X-men.   Human intellect exists on a bell curve for all of us to share.

A genetic mad scientist attempting to create a race of mind bending supermen could easily find brilliant Black men for part of their source genes.

Dr. Watson should just go back to Sherlock Holmes and write more mystery novels. /s

In the intrest of full disclosure, I am one of those blue eyes, blonde hair and fair skin genotypes.

[heartwood]

Bad man. Bad, bad man.

[bkopto]

James Watson was/is persecuted for not toeing the line on the “everyone is equal” narrative, just like another Nobel prize winner, William Shockley.

Many people cannot face the facts.

This issue is important. Should the US continue to import low-IQ populations?

Low IQ populations are easily manipulated by the smarter elite. Low IQ populations and democracy are incompatible. The low IQ gibs are continually bought off for their votes, using other people’s money. Venezuela, for example.

[heartwood]

The globalists have pursued policies that drive down wages for low skill jobs, and the creators of popular culture denigrate the social worth of low-skilled people and the moral value of low-paid work.

[Crucial]

Right, Sarah “whites are goblins” Jeong.

[Liz]

Could be, as Alexander Pope said, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Crick left, Watson right---discoverers of the double helix.

It was Crick who postulated that newborns not be issued
birth certificates until they've passed a "quality evaluation test."

[semantic]

As a devout atheist, I unreservedly understand the bases of evolution, and all conclusions it supports.

However, that being said, only a fool tips his hand, especially when large stakes are at hand. Why would Watson insist on making his point, however valid, when there's money to be made either denying or hiding the essential facts of the matter?

There's not a real estate investor alive who doesn't understand the basic effects income, crime, moral corruption and other social anthologies have on property values, whether or not they understand the relationship to IQ.

For those who complain about AA, it's your own fault for playing in an arena that purposely games its odds in favor of racial outcomes. There are a vast number of professions and skilled trades that reward performance without interference.

My advice is take the money and run. Keep your mouth shut, your cards close to your vest, and reward yourself with the returns that flow from not being a dunce.

[Crucial]

Linus Pauling almost beat them to discovering DNA’s structure but he didn’t have the help of those x-rays.

[RedMonqey]

" If you judge each individual on their own merits then what does it matter? ”

Makes sense.

And that's the way the law is written but too many judges are a "law unto themselves"

I believe "reverse discrimination" only continues the hard feelings among the races and it is long overdue to be set aside.

Slavery and Jim Crowe is long dead.

[Drew68]

How should such fundamentally unsound views be weighed against his extraordinary scientific contributions?

How are his views unsound? Dr. Watson would love nothing more than to be proven wrong.

[terycarl]

did any of the naysayers prove him wrong..........I didn’t think so.

[fr_freak]

He may be right but this does not say the next individual you meet is more or less intelligent.

That has nothing to do with Watson's point about Africa. Any individual you meet, of any race, even a race which has been shown to have a lower average IQ, might be a genius, but once you are dealing with the broad population of that race, you see the effects of that lower IQ distribution play out. Thus is Africa.

In other words, walk down the street in Mumbasa and the next person you meet might be a genius, but the next 100 after that are probably going to have a lower IQ than if you were walking down the street in, say, Prague.

[Travis McGee]

[Capt. Tom]

I find it interesting that blacks deem themselves more athletically superior to whites.

Take a look at the makeup of the defensive NFL football teams.
In some cases, all blacks. - Tom