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I say often on here that racism is “alive and well” in the United States of America, and in many other countries. While I do believe that things have gotten better in regards to racism and that people are slowly becoming more educated and accepting, it is still painfully obvious that there is a long way to go before we can say that people of all races are treated equally, and that no one is treated badly or judged by the color of their skin.
It is easy to fall in to a sense of false security in regards to racism. We live in a place that is fairly close-knit, and where most people know our family. Our family has been widely accepted, and we have not had any racial issues or problems in school, church, the neighborhood, etc.
When I think of people who are racist, I tend to think of people who are stupid (or maybe “uneducated” is a better word). I think it is because it is so hard for me to understand how some people could still believe that their light skin makes them better than people with more pigment in their skin, that I just have to believe that people that think that way are uneducated (and stupid).
Unfortunately, it is not just uneducated people who can have archaic attitudes in regards to race. As this article from CNN.com shows, titled Nobel Winner in Racist Claim Row, even “brilliant” scientists can be ignorant and racist.
The article tells of Dr. James Watson, a co-discoverer of the DNA double helix who won the 1962 Nobel prize for his discovery, and who claimed that black people are less intelligent than white people, in a recent newspaper interview.
A British newspaper, the Sunday Times, quoted Watson as saying that he is, “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.”
The article also quotes him as saying that although he hoped everyone was equal, “people who have to deal with black employees find this not true”.
Understandably the comments have led to all sorts of controversy, and a museum in London, where Watson was scheduled to give a lecture, has canceled him as as guest speaker.
From the article:
Watson, 79, had been due to give a lecture at London’s Science Museum on Friday but the museum canceled his appearance, saying his comments had “gone beyond the point of acceptable debate.”
The American professor’s words have been roundly condemned as “racist,” with fellow scientists dismissing his claims as “genetic nonsense.”
“He should recognize that statements of this sort have racist functions and are to be deeply, deeply regretted,” said Professor Steven Rose of the British Open University.
I certainly agree that Watson’s thoughts are “genetic nonsense”, and it makes me so sad to think how this would make my kids feel if they were to read this article. The article definitely served as a reminder to me that racism can exist in people of all ages, professions, levels of education and walks of life, including so-called “brilliant” scientists.
How is this different from potential adoptive parents who say “I would adopt an African child but not an AA baby because they are more likely to grow up to be drug addicts.” Yes, I actually heard that one! When last I heard, they were on the China waiting list — because “oriental kids are all so smart”!
Good GRIEF. My mind boggles. My daughter’s biological father is outrageously smart. (Sometimes intimidatingly so, and I consider myself pretty darn smart!) His Dad? Even more so! As are his Dad’s brothers. This is just really mind-boggling to me. And somewhat nauseating to boot.
How can people who think they are soooooooo smart be so… ILLOGICAL to put it mildly?
That form of science went out of style with corsets