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Museum cancels race row scientist | Museum cancels race row scientist |
(about 6 hours later) | |
The Science Museum has cancelled a talk it was due to host by a geneticist, after he claimed black people were less intelligent than white people. | The Science Museum has cancelled a talk it was due to host by a geneticist, after he claimed black people were less intelligent than white people. |
Dr James Watson, who won the Nobel Prize for his part in discovering the structure of DNA, was due to speak at the venue on Friday. | Dr James Watson, who won the Nobel Prize 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 Dr Watson's views go "beyond the point of acceptable debate". | But the museum has cancelled the event, saying Dr Watson's views go "beyond the point of acceptable debate". |
Dr Watson has arrived in Britain to promote his latest book. | |
'Cause controversy' | 'Cause controversy' |
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". | 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". | 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. | 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. |
"However, we feel Dr Watson has gone beyond the point of acceptable debate and we are as a result cancelling his talk." | "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. | 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. |