http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2007/10/18/1034305-scientist-apologizes-for-hurtful-remarks
That last quote about sums it up for me. Talk about a fall from grace. Before this, if you mention his name, people think of brilliance and the Nobel prize. However, now those will come to mind, but so will thoughts of racism and bigotry.A profile of Watson in the Sunday Times Magazine of London quoted him as saying that he's "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."
While he hopes everyone is equal, "people who have to deal with black employees find this is not true," Watson is quoted as saying.
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London's Science Museum canceled a sold-out lecture he was to give there Friday.
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And Watson's employer said he wasn't speaking for the Cold Spring Harbor research facility on Long Island, where the board and administration "vehemently disagree with these statements and are bewildered and saddened if he indeed made such comments."
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Watson's publicist, Kate Farquhar-Thomson, would not address whether Watson was suggesting he was misquoted. "You have the statement. That's it, I'm afraid," she said.
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Some years earlier he was quoted in a newspaper as saying, "If you could find the gene which determines sexuality and a woman decides she doesn't want a homosexual child, well, let her."
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"I think Jim Watson is now essentially a disgrace to his own legacy. And it's very sad for me to say this, because he's one of the great figures of 20th century biology."
It's sad how a whole lifetime's worth of reputation can be instantly tarnished. I guess this isn't the first time he's been quoted as such, but having this published in the Times brings it out into the mainstream now.
See also:
http://the-half-decent-pharmaceutica...problem-watson
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/...ist-Racism.php
I know what you mean. He didn't even get around to commenting on nappy-headed ho's.Originally Posted by randomguy132
The poor devil.
Source"I am mortified about what has happened," Watson told reporters. "More importantly, I cannot understand how I could have said what I am quoted as having said." Apparently Watson forgot that in 2000 he told students at the University of California, Berkeley, that there might be a link between skin color and libido, and in 2003 he described extreme stupidity as a disease. (AP)
So he doesn't remember saying it? I guess he could play that off. Maybe. But probably not.
Now stop being so freaking nice, and buy a stun gun. - Krell
This reminded me of Michael Richards more than it did of Don Imus, but I suppose that comparison works as well.
I went with Imus because I felt it matched this guy's inability to see what he said. Richards knew what he was saying was offensive, it's why he was saying it.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071025/us_nm/watson_dc_1
Not terribly surprising. Makes sense that they would want to distance themselves; it was pretty much the only thing they could do. Oh well, he's 79.Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory said Watson, 79, retired after nearly 40 years of serving the institution, located in Cold Spring Harbor, New York. He served as president of the laboratory until 2003 and since then had served as chancellor.
The laboratory said last week its board had suspended Watson from his duties following his remarks to a British newspaper.
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