OT : - " .... a woman should have the right to abort her unborn child if tests could determine it would be homosexual"

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7050020.stm

--------------
Museum drops race row scientist


The Science Museum has cancelled a talk by American DNA pioneer Dr
James Watson after he claimed black people were less intelligent than white
people.
Dr Watson, who won a Nobel Prize in 1962 for his part in discovering
the structure of DNA, was due to speak at the venue on Friday.

But the museum has cancelled the event, saying his views went "beyond
the point of acceptable debate".

Skills Minister David Lammy said Dr Watson's views "were deeply
offensive".

He added: "They will succeed only in providing oxygen for the BNP."

"It is a shame that a man with a record of scientific distinction
should see his work overshadowed by his own irrational prejudices."

Dr Watson, currently director of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
(CSHL) in New York, has arrived in Britain to promote his latest book.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, the 79-year-old said 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".

He went on to say he hoped everyone was equal but that "people who
have to deal with black employees find this is not true".

A spokesman for the Science Museum said: "We know that eminent
scientists can sometimes say things that cause controversy and the Science
Museum does not shy away from debating controversial topics.

'Robust questioning'

"However, we feel Dr Watson has gone beyond the point of acceptable
debate and we are, as a result, cancelling his talk."

The scientist has courted controversy in the past, saying that a woman
should have the right to abort her unborn child if tests could determine it
would be homosexual.

Dr Watson is also due to speak in Bristol at the annual Festival of
Ideas which will be hosted by Eric Watson, the University's vice-chancellor.

A spokesman for the Universtiy said it respected "freedom of speech
and the right of people to express their views".

But it expected "some robust questioning of Dr Watson on his ideas".

The Science Museum event will be hosted by leading neuroscientist
Professor Richard Morris.

-----------------



.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: watson stole his research (Re: Are Blacks Smarter Than Whites?)
    ... argument against his remarks, is that, even if they may be correct, ... including the Science Museum in London. ... Dr Watson told The Sunday Times that he was ... scientists who described it as a work of " scientific racism". ...
    (alt.politics)
  • Re: OT Africans not as Smart as Europeans?
    ... James Watson, a Nobel Prize winner for his part in the unravelling of DNA ... Britain today for a speaking tour at venues including the Science Museum ... in particular by leading scientists who ... The American scientist earned a place in the history of great scientific ...
    (alt.true-crime)
  • Re: Africans are less intelligent than Westerners, says DNA pioneer
    ... Yeah, it's THAT James Watson, too. ... including the Science Museum in London. ... scientists who described it as a work of "scientific racism". ... research into cancer and genetics, ...
    (sci.research.careers)
  • Re: Blacks are less intelligent than whites
    ... James Watson, a Nobel Prize winner for his part in the unravelling of DNA ... today for a speaking tour at venues including the Science Museum in London. ... in particular by leading scientists who described it as a work of " ... and genetics, Dr Watson has frequently courted controversy with some of his ...
    (soc.culture.israel)
  • Re: Unacceptably provocative/beyond the point of acceptable debate
    ... 24 October 2007 with James Watson has been cancelled. ... cause controversy and the Science Museum does not shy away ... of acceptable debate and we are, as a result, cancelling ... Watson wears some of those 'hats' in addition to ...
    (sci.bio.evolution)