DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Students for a Democratic Society, Herrnstein lecture, February-June, 1972 | 1972-03-17 Daily Iowan Letter to the Editor: 'Professor explicates on Herrnstein article' Page 2

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Students for a Democratic Society, Herrnstein lecture, February-June, 1972

1972-03-17 Daily Iowan Letter to the Editor: 'Professor explicates on Herrnstein article' Page 2

"Professor Explicates on Herrnstein Article"
as race are removed (a result of such scientific understanding), the difference between classes will become, instead, one of ability: i.e. temperament , personality, and especially intelligence. 
Do these eight considerations seem to "stop teh reacist campaign" by Herrnstein? Now to reveal the well kept secret: Everything in 1, 2, 3, 4 , 6, and 7, above, is quoted from his own Atlantic article; even 5 and 8 are summaries of his statements. I have not myself presumed to comment on the psychological science or on the social ideals. His article thus offers a strong bisis for the anti-racist.
His conclusions, if correct, would mean that blacks of high I.Q. hitherto held back by unfortunate environment, should now expect to reach a privileged place in social prestige and income. And there is no reason to think they can not transmit their advantages to their chidren. They and their families should expect to have success definitely above what can be expected for half the whites, whose I.Q. is 100 or below. I had hoped that by this times some bllack student of professor would have published a protest against being exploited by SDS tactics. Submitting its mind abjectly to its Central and Branch Offices in Chicado and points East, SDS has given the same impression the Ku Klux Klan would like us to accept; a Nazi could applaud what SDS has achieved: to spread the idea that Harvard scientist has established evidence of the inferiority of non-white races.
Now I hope som black SDS youth will express himself - or herself - concerning this letter. 
Or is SDS as lily-white as the Ku Klux Klan? Was there on its governing boards no youth intellectual who could say, "Look man: By some odd chance I read Herrnstein's article. I mean I really read it! How can you let privileged whit middle-class propagandists mislead the campus into thinking this psychologist says my family is probably stupid?"  

Joseph E. Baker
Professor Of Englissh

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"Professor Explicates on Herrnstein Article" as race are removed (a result of such scientific understanding), the difference between classes will become, instead, one of ability: i.e. temperament , personality, and especially intelligence. Do these eight considerations seem to "stop teh reacist campaign" by Herrnstein? Now to reveal the well kept secret: Everything in 1, 2, 3, 4 , 6, and 7, above, is quoted from his own Atlantic article; even 5 and 8 are summaries of his statements. I have not myself presumed to comment on the psychological science or on the social ideals. His article thus offers a strong bisis for the anti-racist. His conclusions, if correct, would mean that blacks of high I.Q. hitherto held back by unfortunate environment, should now expect to reach a privileged place in social prestige and income. And there is no reason to think they can not transmit their advantages to their chidren. They and their families should expect to have success definitely above what can be expected for half the whites, whose I.Q. is 100 or below. I had hoped that by this times some bllack student of professor would have published a protest against being exploited by SDS tactics. Submitting its mind abjectly to its Central and Branch Offices in Chicado and points East, SDS has given the same impression the Ku Klux Klan would like us to accept; a Nazi could applaud what SDS has achieved: to spread the idea that Harvard scientist has established evidence of the inferiority of non-white races. Now I hope som black SDS youth will express himself - or herself - concerning this letter. Or is SDS as lily-white as the Ku Klux Klan? Was there on its governing boards no youth intellectual who could say, "Look man: By some odd chance I read Herrnstein's article. I mean I really read it! How can you let privileged whit middle-class propagandists mislead the campus into thinking this psychologist says my family is probably stupid?" Joseph E. Baker Professor Of Englissh