Nobel-Prize Winner, James Watson, Denounced by Laboratory for Racist Remarks

Jack Jarashow

In 2007, James Watson, best-known for his discovery of the molecular structure of DNA, was fired from the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory as a result of his racially offensive comments. Although Watson seemed apologetic over 11 years ago, his controversial views have yet to fade. In a recent interview, Watson maintained that black people were intellectually inferior to white people. This display of racism was enough for the laboratory to revoke the honorary titles that Watson had earned for his scientific accomplishments.

The origin of these racist views is not pure hatred, however, it is Watson’s ignorance that builds this type of mindset. He allows the ideas that he began to believe many years ago to cloud his judgement today. Watson comes from an era in which these types of racist concepts were the norm. Several decades after growing up in a society where the discrimination of black people was promoted, the effects still linger.

The sad truth is that even the world’s most brilliant people can be corrupted by ideas of hatred. James Watson, the same person who discovered the structure of DNA, has yet to discover ideals of equality and acceptance. Society has seen that a cultural and social environment has lasting impacts on a person. Now, it is a matter of what type of environment we want to create for the developing minds of the future.