From: smith@ctron.com (Larry Smith)
Newsgroups: misc.forsale,misc.forsale.computers,alt.sex,alt.drugs,misc.kids,rec.music.gdead,rec.music.phish,rec.music.misc,news.groups,alt.flame
Subject: Re: Fuck You All
Date: 10 Sep 92 18:49:29 GMT
Reply-To: smith@ctron.com
Followup-To: alt.flame
Organization: Cabletron Systems, Inc.

In article <lasnshr.gurgle@netcom.com>, gurgle@netcom.com (Pete Gontier) writes:
>hugoglez@well.sf.ca.us (Hugo Gonzalez) writes:
>>It has been scientifically proven
>>that black people are not as smart as white people, something to so with
>>the size of the brain or genetics.  Do not flame me for this, as this is
>>accepted as FACT in the scientific community.

>Whoa! It's true that there were some studies about brain weight many
>years ago. However, those studies *never* established that brain weight
>had anything to do with intelligence.

This is true, although several followup studies were proposed to try to
determine whether there really was any quantifiable difference in intelligence
between various races.  They mostly stalled in futile attempts to quantify what
intelligence _was_.  Early attempts were swamped with cultural differences
masquerading as intelligence differences, and these remain part and parcel
of the KKK and other White Supremacy groups claim to scientific validity.
My favorite example of these sorts of questions was one that illustrated
a boy carrying an axe - one with the head almost on his shoulder, the other
with the head hanging far out behind the shoulder - and asked which was the
"correct" way to carry the axe.  The intent, of course, was to illustrate the
subjects understanding of the lever principle.  Where they erred was in
assuming everyone knew just what an axe was.  Women did poorly because they
didn't know the head was metal and weighed more, white and black American
men did about the same, and black Africans of both sexes did equally poorly
since they had never seen a western axe line illustration before and had no
idea what the thing was.

Later attempts to eliminate cultural bias have been quashed by the recent
Politically Correct movement, so there are no legitimate attempts to decide
the question once and for all, as it is now PC incorrect to assume there is
any possibility of a difference.  While we can agree or not as to whether
this is a Good Thing or not, the fact remains that there is insufficient
data to determine with any scientific justification whether any given race
is more intelligent that any other.

>>Now you can choose to ignore the facts, or you can accept them.  I am not
>>saying white people are superior, just smarter (genetically).

I think this paragraph gives us ample basis for concluding that this was
not a legitimate and unbiased attempt to discuss relative intelligence
in a rational manner.  Someone without an axe to grind would have been
aware of the findings and the _meanings_ of the findings of the studies
that were done.  To simply cite the ones that support one's position is
just bigotry looking for justification.  The ghastly distribution list
is further proof, if any were needed.

>I will never understand the urge to be average. I guess people are so
>terrified of failure that they're willing to settle for mediocrity
>instead of success.

They are also terrified to be "different".  Different people are not "cool",
nor are they ever "in".  Why else would each new generation decide that lung
cancer was an acceptable trade to be "with it"?  True, that is changing, but
so very slowly.  Smoking is down percentagewise, but constant in terms of
number of smokers.  The pressure for conformity cannot be underestimated.

Folks, debating with a bigot accomplishes nothing, they are prejudiced -
by definition, in fact - to their point of view, and mere facts will not
sway their opinion.  When someone like this posts, let a few people counter
it and then let it drop.  As I shall, for I'll be consigning this thread
to the killfile straight away, and I suggest you all do the same.

Larry Smith (smith@ctron.com)  No, I don't speak for Cabletron.  Need you ask?
-
How about we all do something reasonable?  I bet that'll confuse 'em!
Newsgroups: misc.forsale,rec.music.misc,alt.flame