DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Students for a Democratic Society, Herrnstein lecture, February-June, 1972 | 'Join the SDS Demonstration Against Racist Ideology Smash Herrnstein' Page 1

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

'Join the SDS Demonstration Against Racist Ideology Smash Herrnstein' Page 1

[1972]

Richard Herrnstein is chairman of the psychology department at Harvard Univ. 
In the September issue of The Atlantic Monthly, magazine Herrnstein published an article called "I.Q." in which he says that working class people and unemployed workers get screwed in this society because they are born with lower intelligence;

The [evidence in the article] points to future in which social classes not only continue but become ever more solidly built on inborn differences. As the wealth and complexity of human society grow, there will be precipitated out of may be unable to master the common occupation...The troubles have already caught the attention of alert social scientists like Edward Banfield, whose book, The Unheavenly City, describes the increasingly chronic lower class in America's central cities.

Herrnstein pretends to be talking about the future. The reference to Banfield shows that he thinks that his analysis applies to the present. (For more on Banfield see over)

Herrnstein also says, "The data on IQ and social class difference show that we have been living with an inherited stratification of our society for some time."

We think this is a pack of lies. The only purpose this serves is to blame unemployment on its victims rather than on the fat cats who create it and get rich off of it. Herrnstein talks as if unemployment was a fact of nature rather than a conscious policy of bankers, businessmen, and their servant Nixon.

Herrnstein's ideas are totally invalid. He assumes that intelligence and IQ scores are the same. In fact, IQ tests are biased against working class people, especially minority groups. IQ tests, test what is taught in school. Working class schools often teach little but discipline. Students are aware that it's a waste of time to try to get ahead by doing well in school. They know ahead of time that no matter how hard they work, they are likely to end up in the same kinds of jobs their parents have.

Unemployment is twice as high for blacks and Latin people as for white. Herrnstein's theories are racist because they (hay?) this oppression of minority people does not stem from the racism of this society, but from their own failings.

Herrnstein implies that poverty is the fault of the poor. Poverty means low welfare, rat and roach-infested housing; getting sick and dying from lead paint poisoning, dangerous and low paying jobs, rotten public services (no garbage collection no street cleaning or repair), and so forth. People are constantly fighting against these conditions. People are organizing against welfare cuts and lead poisoning in St. Louis. Herrnstein's racist ideas and similar ideas in college textbooks)hold back students from supporting these struggles. They must not be defeated!

These ideas are being given wide publicity. The Atlantic Monthly goes to thousands of school teachers. Every teacher in the state of Indiana got a summary of Herrnstein's artciel. Time, Newsweek, and major newspapers accross the country are spreading this filth(including the Post-Dispatch). When people read this stuff in magazines, newspapers, or textbooks it reinforces racism or creats seed of doubt.

Univ. of Iowa SDS is calling for a regional demonstration against Herrnstein when he comes to Iowa City on Friday, Feb. 25. Students will be coming from Minnesota, Chicago as well as St. Louis and all over the Midwest. There will be a SDS Regional Conference on Sat. to discuss way to the the struggle. JOIN US!
For transportation, lodging or information, call Paul at 721-0773 or Tom at 352-1615.

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[1972] Richard Herrnstein is chairman of the psychology department at Harvard Univ. In the September issue of The Atlantic Monthly, magazine Herrnstein published an article called "I.Q." in which he says that working class people and unemployed workers get screwed in this society because they are born with lower intelligence; The [evidence in the article] points to future in which social classes not only continue but become ever more solidly built on inborn differences. As the wealth and complexity of human society grow, there will be precipitated out of may be unable to master the common occupation...The troubles have already caught the attention of alert social scientists like Edward Banfield, whose book, The Unheavenly City, describes the increasingly chronic lower class in America's central cities. Herrnstein pretends to be talking about the future. The reference to Banfield shows that he thinks that his analysis applies to the present. (For more on Banfield see over) Herrnstein also says, "The data on IQ and social class difference show that we have been living with an inherited stratification of our society for some time." We think this is a pack of lies. The only purpose this serves is to blame unemployment on its victims rather than on the fat cats who create it and get rich off of it. Herrnstein talks as if unemployment was a fact of nature rather than a conscious policy of bankers, businessmen, and their servant Nixon. Herrnstein's ideas are totally invalid. He assumes that intelligence and IQ scores are the same. In fact, IQ tests are biased against working class people, especially minority groups. IQ tests, test what is taught in school. Working class schools often teach little but discipline. Students are aware that it's a waste of time to try to get ahead by doing well in school. They know ahead of time that no matter how hard they work, they are likely to end up in the same kinds of jobs their parents have. Unemployment is twice as high for blacks and Latin people as for white. Herrnstein's theories are racist because they (hay?) this oppression of minority people does not stem from the racism of this society, but from their own failings. Herrnstein implies that poverty is the fault of the poor. Poverty means low welfare, rat and roach-infested housing; getting sick and dying from lead paint poisoning, dangerous and low paying jobs, rotten public services (no garbage collection no street cleaning or repair), and so forth. People are constantly fighting against these conditions. People are organizing against welfare cuts and lead poisoning in St. Louis. Herrnstein's racist ideas and similar ideas in college textbooks)hold back students from supporting these struggles. They must not be defeated! These ideas are being given wide publicity. The Atlantic Monthly goes to thousands of school teachers. Every teacher in the state of Indiana got a summary of Herrnstein's artciel. Time, Newsweek, and major newspapers accross the country are spreading this filth(including the Post-Dispatch). When people read this stuff in magazines, newspapers, or textbooks it reinforces racism or creats seed of doubt. Univ. of Iowa SDS is calling for a regional demonstration against Herrnstein when he comes to Iowa City on Friday, Feb. 25. Students will be coming from Minnesota, Chicago as well as St. Louis and all over the Midwest. There will be a SDS Regional Conference on Sat. to discuss way to the the struggle. JOIN US! For transportation, lodging or information, call Paul at 721-0773 or Tom at 352-1615.