發言的除了我們系主任(Department Chair)和中心主任在(Center Director)是白人,別的安排好的發言的都是黑人或者西裔的。聽了大家的發言,真是沒有覺得我們系或者我們醫學院有什麼可以擺在明面上的種族歧視的問題。我們生物統計的專業領導(division director)中間舉手要求發言,說統計界正在商量要把紀念RA Fisher(中文叫費雪或者費希爾,統計界一個大牛,是統計學的奠基人)的講座改掉,因為RA Fisher 在1910-1930年代參與很多優生學的研究,企圖用基因的方法來弄出更好的人種。後來優生學被納粹弄得臭名昭著,因為納粹在那個時候制定了《絕育法》,患有一定疾病的人必須接受強制絕育手術,並且納粹後來更是開始有計劃地殺害殘疾人。二次大戰以後,聯合國教科文組織組織了一些科學家譴責納粹以及優生學,說納粹的優生學是種族主義,而RA Fisher否定聯合國的這個項目,他堅信不同人種的智力和情感發展程度是有區別的。但是他這一做法,並沒有影響他的學術名聲,一直到現在。最近在這樣的反種族歧視的熱潮下,歷史上好多人被清算。比如費城以前一位市長Rizzo(雕像被挪走,壁畫被清除),美國內戰時候的南方軍將領Robert Lee(在佛吉尼亞的Richmond,要把他的雕像移走),還有發現新大陸的哥倫布(在波士頓的雕像被斬首)。我才知道原來美國第一任總統華盛頓也是蓄奴的。不過,一個亮點是他在去世的時候,遺言說要給他名下的所有黑奴自由。也不知道這算不算瑕不掩瑜。其實我早就知道在美國憲法裡,黑人每個人只算3/5票。而林肯總統在1858年9月18號在伊利諾州Charleston關於黑人和白人的演講中說:(https://www.nytimes.com/1860/12/28/archives/mr-lincoln-and-negro-equality.html)From Lincoln's Speech, Sept. 18, 1858."While I was at the hotel today, an elderly gentleman called upon me to know whether I was really in favor of producing a perfect equality between the negroes and white people. While I had not proposed to myself on this occasion to say much on that subject, yet as the question was asked me I thought I would occupy perhaps five minutes in saying something in regard to it. I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the black and white races -- that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making VOTERS or jurors of negroes, NOR OF QUALIFYING THEM HOLD OFFICE, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any of her man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race."上面這段話不用翻譯,不懂英文的就看下面這段話就可以了(出於一本書《領袖:一項心理史學研究》作者: 查爾斯·B.斯特羅齊爾, 丹尼爾·奧弗),是一個關於林肯的種族主義思想的總結:
如果按這樣清算下去,美國的所有的國父是不是都應該被推翻,所有以這些人命名的地點和地標建議都改名? 比如華盛頓紀念碑,林肯紀念堂。
甚至美國首都是不是也應該改名?