Watson pulled a Don Imus, in my opinion. He said what he said. He believes what he believes. But his quick willingness to shift his stance, to grovel and to apologize are what doomed him. Had he taken a scientific stand and said to his critics, "Prove that I am wrong", then I might have more respect for him.
It helps to be right, and I don't say that Watson was right. But it's also crucial for scientists to speak the truth as they see it. What that means, is that sometimes they are wrong. Watson wasn't willing to go there.
Unlike Galileo, he too quickly stepped up and said, "My conclusions are unpopular? OK, I'll shift my views."
This is what science has come to. Politics is the driving force now. Sad.
This is a prime example of why no one should ever apologize for an intellectually defensible statement. No good can come of it. You’ll lose your job and be made an outcast whether you apologize or not. At least Watson and Larry Summers would have maintained their integrity if they had refused to back down. By apologizing they gained nothing, still lost their jobs, and are still being smeared as racist (or sexist, in the case of Summers). By apologizing you do nothing but strengthen the hand of the thought police.
A similar thing happened to Don Imus, though in his case what he said was stupid. He owed the Rutgers basketball ladies an apology. However, that should have been the end of it, and it certainly would have been the end if he had insulted whites, Christians, or someone similarly unprotected by the current “soft totalitarian” political atmosphere. Instead, he went on Sharpton’s show and did the total grovel routine, and still got fired. Admittedly, what he said was stupid and offensive, but was it worthy of a firing, even when he was willing to apologize?
This nonsense will only get worse. We’re already seeing people who don’t approve of homosexuality or “diversity” being sent off for “rehab”. I hate to think of what our nation will be like in fifty years if this keeps up.
Good thing he didn’t say anything bad about Global Warming or he would really be in trouble.
This man may be a genius but he is an idiot. How could anyone in academia believe they could survive such a statement?
Here's my take on it: "Run your mouth and it all goes south."
The first is a racial statement saying that intelligence is linked to race. The second and third are evaluations of the environemnt of black culture and society; we know that in America, sometimes excelling in school is viewed by some as being "too white." (There is hard scientific data that says between three and seven, stimulating parental encouragement actually increases the formation of brain mass. Talk to your kids and encourage theme, they will grow smarter.)
I would have to disagree with any statement that claimed different races are smarter or dumber, but agree that intelligence is a skill that is learned and refined. If you grow up in a country where open gunplay is valued more than debate-team conflict resolution, you may actually BE dumber.
What exactly is “racism.”
Fixed.
His statements infuriated me.
He is one in a long line of people that shows the Nobel Prize is a total sham.
bump
Don’t you love the Open Mindedness and Free Speech that is allowed at Universities??
Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
‘Black people are less intelligent than whites’, claims DNA pioneer
(James Watson)
Daily Mail | 10/17/07
Posted on 10/17/2007 4:36:52 AM EDT by TigerLikesRooster
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1912331/posts