Re: Racism of evolution

Russell Stewart (diamond@rt66.com)
Thu, 22 May 1997 10:49:29 -0600

> Please
> consider the following quotes and thinking of some 1800's
> era evolutionary leaders:
>
> Franz Gall - Brain size equals more intelligence.
>
> Morton (not Glen of this list) - Negroes are less
> intelligent because they have smaller brain size.

A claim that was clearly not backed up by any scientific evidence; this
means it must have been motivated by personal prejudice, not by scientific
investigation.

> Phillip Ruston (Canadian) Blacks came off the evolutionary
> line early when apes were less intelligent. Whites came off
> later.

Even if there was ever so much as a shred of scientific evidence to
support this claim (which I strongly doubt), there is certainly a wealth
of evidence to contradict it today. Once again, this claim was motivated
by a preexisting personal prejudice, not by an interpretation of the scientific
evidence.

> Gallston (English) "We should breed more intelligent people"
> Didn't Darwin marry his cousin for this reason?

How much evidence is there that intelligence is strongly hereditary? I honestly
don't know.

> Count Arthur Degobinin - Certain people were born to rule
> others.

What on earth does this statement have to do with evolution? Yes, I know what
you're going to say: Degobinin believed in evolution. But that's like saying
that, since Shroedinger was a supporter of the Nazis, belief in quantum
mechanics
leads to Nazi tendencies.

> Richard Vagner - (the German composer) founded a secret
> society with the basis of the above thinking. (Especially
> the latter) They later chose Adolph Hitler as their leader.

Once again, what does this have to do with evolution? So far, you have failed
to provide evidence for a single causative link between evolution and racist
beliefs.

> Ernst Heckle - member - "Make sure those not fit breed
> don't" This quickly translated to "those not fit to live".

Once again -- where is the causative link?

> The conclusion that must be drawn here is that Darwin's
> evolution is a direct cause and effect of the Holocaust.

No, the conclusion that must be drawn is that there have been a lot of racists
throughout history. However, you conveniently omitted those who justified their
racism on religious ground. Take the Crusades, for example: this was a specific,
religiously-inspired mission to invade the Middle East and essentially slaughter
as many Muslims as possible. Sounds like genocide to me. Or the modern Klu Klux
Klan, who believe that non-whites are not descendants of Adam, and therefore not
human. Not to mention the fact that violent antisemitism has been around
for well
over a thousand years, and had its roots in the medeival Catholic church. So
even
if we were to accept your absurd logic, the same logic would lead us to the
conclusion
that Christianity is a direct cause of many forms of racism.

> Those who would deny this are simply choosing not to believe
> that racism and evolution are closely interwoven belief
> systems.

You thanked me earlier for my "input" into your decision, but it is quite clear
that your mind is already made up, and you have not listened to a single
word that
I have said. So don't even think about handing me responsibility for your
bigotry.

_____________________________________________________________
| Russell Stewart |
| http://www.rt66.com/diamond/ |
|_____________________________________________________________|
| Albuquerque, New Mexico | diamond@rt66.com |
|_____________________________|_______________________________|

If Rush is Right, then I'll take what's Left.