Dr. James D. Watson, the Nobel Laureate, who helped establish Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories as a leading genetic research facility., was suspended from his administrative responsibilities as chancellor of the Watson School of Biological Sciences and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. This suspension ws a direct reaction to racist comments Dr. Watson made which were then published in the October 14th edition of The Sunday Times Magazine out of London.
In an interview with his former Protégée, Charlotte Hunt-Grubbe, to promote his new book Avoid Boring People: Lessons from a Life in Science, Dr. Watson, 79, expressed that he was “inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa” because “ all of 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 that while he wished that everyone were equal “people who have to deal with black employees find this not true.”
Dr. Watson , who won the Noble Prize, with Francis Crick, for the discovery of the DNA structure, has a history of making outrageous comments. In 1968, while promoting his book, The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure if DNA, he made a bold statement about the importance of a woman’s looks. Ten years ago, the Sunday Telegraph quoted Dr. Watson in reference to abortion as saying, “if you could find the gene which determines sexuality and a women decides that she doesn’t want a homosexual child , well , let her(abort the fetus).” When speaking before an audience at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2000, he spoke of a link between skin color and sex drive. Despite his continual political incorrectness no action was even taken against Dr. Watson and his legacy. Known for being outspoken, Dr. Watson admits in the October 14th article that , “ If I believe something then I’ll say it. I figure , generally , at least half the time I am reflecting common sense, which is not a lie.” Dr. Watson also claimed, “ The time is surely not far off when academia would have no choice but to hand Political correctness back to the politicians.” For friends that know and have worked with Dr. Watson his remarks were typical. In a follow up article released on October 21st on Times Online Hunt Grubbe states, “ Colleagues expect Watsons conversations to be peppered with ‘ un-PC’ comments. It is part of his character.”
As a result of his latest comments, Cold Spring Laboratory’s Board of Trustees has taken action against Dr. Watson for the first time. In an emergency trustee teleconference the board made a decision to suspend Dr .Watson. in a press release Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory issued the following statement. “ The Comments attributed to Dr. James Watson that first appeared in the October 14,2007 edition of the Sunday Times U.K. are his own personal statements and in no way reflect the mission, goals, or principles of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s Board, administration on faculty. Dr. Watson is not the President of Cold Spring Laboratory and was not speaking on behalf of the institution.”
The release also wanted to reassure the public that, “ Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory does not engage in any research that could form the basis of statements attributed to Dr. Watson.”
Dr. Watson Apologizes
However after the negative spin associated with the article, Dr. Watson released a statement to the Associated press that claims “I cannot understand how I could have said what I am quoted as having said.” He went on to clarify that “To all those who have drawn the inference form my words that Africa, as a continent, is somehow genetically inferior, I can only apologize unreservedly. That is not what I meant. More importantly from my point of view there is no scientific basis for such a belief.” The Times Online reported on Friday, October 19th that the Sunday Times Magazine interview was recorded and that the publication stands behind its story.
Hunt- Grubbe released a follow up article on October 21st on Times Online that defended not only her work but also that of Dr. Watson. She wrote , “ I can’t support those few, perhaps unguarded , comments he said to me but I can say that he works tirelessly to encourage scientist from all backgrounds and countries … I am not trying to destroy a brilliant scientist and I am genuinely horrified by the response.” Her intention of the October 14th article was to show the complexity of the scientist. “ I sought a balance, one that reflected his eccentricities but also brought home the magnitude of his contribution to science and continuing devotion to disease research.”
Since the article Dr. Watson’s Britain book tour has been cancelled. Dr. Watson’s publicist Kate Farquhar Thomson states that he left England on Friday, October 19th. “ His decision to leave the country, I believe, was due to things going on at Cold Spring Harbor.”
In an interview with his former Protégée, Charlotte Hunt-Grubbe, to promote his new book Avoid Boring People: Lessons from a Life in Science, Dr. Watson, 79, expressed that he was “inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa” because “ all of 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 that while he wished that everyone were equal “people who have to deal with black employees find this not true.”
Dr. Watson , who won the Noble Prize, with Francis Crick, for the discovery of the DNA structure, has a history of making outrageous comments. In 1968, while promoting his book, The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure if DNA, he made a bold statement about the importance of a woman’s looks. Ten years ago, the Sunday Telegraph quoted Dr. Watson in reference to abortion as saying, “if you could find the gene which determines sexuality and a women decides that she doesn’t want a homosexual child , well , let her(abort the fetus).” When speaking before an audience at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2000, he spoke of a link between skin color and sex drive. Despite his continual political incorrectness no action was even taken against Dr. Watson and his legacy. Known for being outspoken, Dr. Watson admits in the October 14th article that , “ If I believe something then I’ll say it. I figure , generally , at least half the time I am reflecting common sense, which is not a lie.” Dr. Watson also claimed, “ The time is surely not far off when academia would have no choice but to hand Political correctness back to the politicians.” For friends that know and have worked with Dr. Watson his remarks were typical. In a follow up article released on October 21st on Times Online Hunt Grubbe states, “ Colleagues expect Watsons conversations to be peppered with ‘ un-PC’ comments. It is part of his character.”
As a result of his latest comments, Cold Spring Laboratory’s Board of Trustees has taken action against Dr. Watson for the first time. In an emergency trustee teleconference the board made a decision to suspend Dr .Watson. in a press release Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory issued the following statement. “ The Comments attributed to Dr. James Watson that first appeared in the October 14,2007 edition of the Sunday Times U.K. are his own personal statements and in no way reflect the mission, goals, or principles of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s Board, administration on faculty. Dr. Watson is not the President of Cold Spring Laboratory and was not speaking on behalf of the institution.”
The release also wanted to reassure the public that, “ Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory does not engage in any research that could form the basis of statements attributed to Dr. Watson.”
Dr. Watson Apologizes
However after the negative spin associated with the article, Dr. Watson released a statement to the Associated press that claims “I cannot understand how I could have said what I am quoted as having said.” He went on to clarify that “To all those who have drawn the inference form my words that Africa, as a continent, is somehow genetically inferior, I can only apologize unreservedly. That is not what I meant. More importantly from my point of view there is no scientific basis for such a belief.” The Times Online reported on Friday, October 19th that the Sunday Times Magazine interview was recorded and that the publication stands behind its story.
Hunt- Grubbe released a follow up article on October 21st on Times Online that defended not only her work but also that of Dr. Watson. She wrote , “ I can’t support those few, perhaps unguarded , comments he said to me but I can say that he works tirelessly to encourage scientist from all backgrounds and countries … I am not trying to destroy a brilliant scientist and I am genuinely horrified by the response.” Her intention of the October 14th article was to show the complexity of the scientist. “ I sought a balance, one that reflected his eccentricities but also brought home the magnitude of his contribution to science and continuing devotion to disease research.”
Since the article Dr. Watson’s Britain book tour has been cancelled. Dr. Watson’s publicist Kate Farquhar Thomson states that he left England on Friday, October 19th. “ His decision to leave the country, I believe, was due to things going on at Cold Spring Harbor.”
-Faith Rackoff
reprinted from the 10/26/07 issue of the Oyster Bay Guardian
No comments:
Post a Comment