WASHINGTON. Science writer Nicholas Wade arrived on Capitol Hill Wednesday to testify before a Republican commission on the origins of the coronavirus, but was instead asked questions about “Troubled Legacy”, his controversial 2014 book on race and genetics, which Democrats noted was endorsed by notorious racist and anti-Semite David Duke, as well as other white supremacists.
“I have nothing to do with white supremacist views,” Wade said at one point during the hearing.
“However, they love you,” retorted Rep. Kweisi Mfume, M.D., arguing that Wade’s presence was an affront to any legitimate inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus — the subject of Wednesday’s hearing.
Former NAACP head Mfume said he was “appalled that this hearing is now about race.”
Writer Nicholas Wade testifies Wednesday before a House subcommittee on the coronavirus pandemic. (Chip Somodeville/Getty Images)
Visibly trembling, Mfume told Wade that he was “absolutely offended that you will have the opportunity to take this platform and add something important to it.”
A tense exchange has cast doubt on whether inviting Wade to testify at the first hearing of the House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic was an effective move by the Republican majority, which seeks to legitimize the notion that the coronavirus was the product of a lab accident in China.
Wade proponent of this hypothesisbut his past writings on genetics and race seem to have frustrated his attempts to focus the conversation on the pandemic.
The committee’s leading Democrat, Rep. Raul Ruiz of California, used his opening statement to discredit Wade. “His participation undermines the credibility of this hearing,” he said.
Briefly, Capitol Hill was plunged into a nearly decade-old controversy, though the topics understandably continue to stir deep passions today.
A native of England and a graduate of Cambridge, Wade has worked for the prestigious Science magazine.and naturein the late 1970s and early 80s, by which point he had settled in the United States. Hello joined the New York Times in 1982. and will remain in the newspaper for 30 years.
Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., expresses concern that the subcommittee has invited Wade to testify. (Chip Somodeville/Getty Images)
Wade has written several books in his career, but none have been as explosive as his 2014 foray into the connection between race and genetics—a connection that by then many came with a discount.
In an attempt to repair the disputed correlation, Wade ventured into some of the most obscene areas of what was once known as scientific expertise. (His supporters would say that he was dragged into this dangerous territory by detractors who had not actually read his book, but some of those critics appeared to be familiar with his arguments.)
Racial Science was a favorite pastime of the Nazis, who sought to collect evidence, such as the shape of the skull, to prove that Jews and other people of non-European descent were inherently inferior. eugenicists in the United States, similar arguments were used to try to restrict immigration or expand civil rights for blacks.
While racial differences may seem huge culturally and socially, genetic differences between populations are actually quite insignificant.
Wade objected to this prevailing view. Intending to “demystify the genetic basis of race”, he attempted to describe distinct racial groups that he claimed originated in Africa, Europe, and East Asia. He then attempted to explain how the three groups evolved different genomes and how these differences shape their respective cultures.
These explanations have led to some highly suspicious claims, such as that the Jews were uniquely “adapted to capitalism” – a classic anti-Semitic cliché. Meanwhile, people of African descent, according to Wade’s analysis, had a “violent propensity”.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Wade was asked questions about his controversial 2014 book on race and genetics, A Troubled Legacy. (Chip Somodeville/Getty Images)
The mainstream reaction to the book was harsh. IN his reviewThe Times called A Troubled Legacy a “deeply flawed, misleading and dangerous book” that gives racists license while accused Wade trade in “marginal racist theories masquerading as mainstream biology”. American conservative found the book unconvincing.
IN letter to the New York Times Book ReviewHe was accused by 139 scientists (including many whose work Wade cited) of “misappropriating” research results to advance discrediting arguments. They stated that “in the field of population genetics, Wade’s hypotheses are not supported.”
He hit the news again with the advent of the coronavirus, becoming one of the first science writers to speak out against the plausibility of the prevailing view that the pathogen originated from an animal before it entered the human population, most likely in the U.S. wildlife market. Chinese city of Wuhan.
Wade detailed the case for the so-called laboratory leak theory. Average post in May 2021. This article remains a milestone for other skeptics of the official Chinese version. However, many scientists believe that the virus originated in animals and then passed to humans.
Wade strenuously defended his record – and his book – on Wednesday. “It was a decidedly non-racist book. As far as I know, there are no scientific errors in it. It contains no racist statements. It emphasizes the theme of unity,” he told the deputies sitting in front of him.
But his Democratic critics remained unconvinced, while some supporters of the lab leak hypothesis expressed frustration on social media that the important question of the origin of the coronavirus is being obscured.
The mother of a South Carolina teenager found dead on a rural road in 2015 said she plans to have his body exhumed for an independent autopsy as his case sparks new interest following the arrest and conviction of Alex Murdo for murder.
On a GoFundMe page that quickly raised more than $43,000 — enough to pay for the exhumation of teenager Steven Smith — his mother thanked supporters for “not letting Steven’s story be swept under the rug.”
“This is Steven’s year,” Sandy Smith told NBC News on Friday.
The family’s quest to find answers intensified in June 2021, weeks after the murder of 52-year-old Margaret Murdo and her 22-year-old son Paul on their estate in Colleton County. South Carolina Law Enforcement Agents, or SLED, announced that their investigation into the murders, which were unsolved at the time, had yielded other mysterious deaths in the area that had some connection to a powerful family.
The SLED said they were launching an investigation into Smith’s death “based on information gathered from the double homicide.”
According to the coroner’s report, Smith was initially found to have a “protective wound” on his arm. received by The Island Packetand a murder case was opened. However, the case became confused when a medical examiner later wrote in a report that Smith’s cause of death was a blow to the head with a car mirror, which was part of an apparent hit-and-run.
But no glass or car wreckage was found either where Smith’s body was found or in the immediate vicinity, according to The Island Packet.
Meanwhile, South Carolina Highway Patrol investigators said they had received information that Paul Murdo’s older brother, Buster, may have been involved. One investigator attempted to contact Buster, but it is not clear to what extent the conversation took place. State investigators declined to discuss the case.
Buster Murdo and Smith reportedly graduated from the same high school in Hampton County in 2014.
No member of the Murdo family has been directly identified as being involved in Smith’s death. His case caught the public’s attention with the Murdo saga and was featured in a recent documentary series on HBO Max and Netflix.
Smith’s family and friends shared their concerns about his openly gay teenager in a predominantly conservative region.
Alex Murdo, once a prominent lawyer and scion of a well-connected South Carolina legal family, was convicted this month of murdering his wife and son. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole and is still facing multiple financial charges related to embezzling millions of dollars from his family’s clients and law firm.
Alex Murdo listens to testimony at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, Feb. 27.Jeff Blake / AP file
His lawyers plan to appeal his double murder conviction.
Among them, Murdo was accused of stealing from the family of his housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, who died in 2018 in what was originally described as an accidental fall on the Murdo estate.
Lawyers for Satterfield’s adult sons ultimately returned millions of dollars owed to her for the estate.
The circumstances of Satterfield’s death were called into question in 2021 by the Hampton County Coroner, who requested her case be reopened because no autopsy was performed.
“The death certificate found the manner of death to be ‘natural’, which is inconsistent with injuries sustained in a travel accident and fall,” the coroner wrote to state investigators.
SLED also announced in June 2022 that it would exhume Satterfield’s body as part of an investigation that her family says she supports to definitely rule out foul play.
Sandy Smith also claimed that her son experienced more than a hit and run and believes he was beaten because his body was found on the road.
On Friday, she said she last spoke to SLED investigators about three weeks ago and will be getting help exhuming her son from attorney Eric Bland, who also represents the Satterfield sons.
Any donations left after the exhumation and autopsy is completed will go to a scholarship fund to help students pay for books, Sandy Smith added. At the time of her death, her son was a nurse.
In a Friday statement, SLED said it has “made progress” on the investigation into Smith’s death and that it “remains active and ongoing.”
Sandy Smith said she wants an independent exhumation and autopsy because she doesn’t want it to be done by the same medical facility that originally classified her son’s death as a hit-and-run, “despite the lack of evidence to support it.”
“We need a new, unbiased look at his body and an accurate, fact-based determination of the cause of his death,” she wrote on her GoFundMe page.
Your editorial (March 13) claims that Pope Francis is defending “the marginalized, the fringe and the outcast.” However, his church does not protect women, denying them equality and birth control and refusing their participation as priests. You say that the pope puts “mercy above judgment.” What is the sin here? Who are the sinners? Michelle Roberts London
Despite Dave Young’s description of the difference between a shovel and a spade (Letters, March 14), I am confused. In Thursday’s crossword clue is given: Dug out with a shovel (6). Spade’s answer. Dave, help us, please. Peter Stewart London
I’m sure the young junior doctors I spoke to at this week’s picket who told me about their student loan debt and the number of hours they currently work for a salary they can barely keep up with will be delighted. upon learning about it. they can now invest up to £60,000 a year tax-free in their retirement savings (Report, March 16). Karen Barratt Winchester
Regarding Rod Riesco’s letter (March 14), I’m wondering if there’s a disgruntled Le Monde reader who’s non-stop eating a sandwich while waiting in the parking lot to leave for the weekend? Steve Ridings Chelmsford
Re oldies slogans on T-shirts (Letters, March 9), I have one that reads: “I’m starting to think I’ll never be old enough to understand better.” I wear it to raves. Andrew Duncan Little Waltham, Essex
After the expiration date, the massage oil should be disposed of responsibly. Proper disposal is important to ensure that the oil is not only removed from the massage area, but safely removed from the environment. It is also important to ensure that the oil is disposed of in a manner that does not create health or safety issues. Proper disposal of massage oil ensures that not only is it removed from the site, but it also has no negative impact on the environment.
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Check the massage oil expiration date before disposal.
When it comes to massage therapy, there are several factors to consider to ensure the safety of your clients and yourself. One of the most important factors to consider is the shelf life of massage oils. Check the expiration date before disposal and replace the expired oil as soon as possible. Not only is this important for safety and hygiene reasons, but it can also help you save money and keep your massage practice running smoothly.
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Never pour massage oil down the drain
Regular massage always requires massage oil or lotion. This oil is an essential element of massage as it allows the massage therapist to manipulate your muscles and provide a pleasant sensation. While massage oil is essential for massage, it comes with a few drawbacks, especially when it comes to cleansing. For example, if you are giving a massage at a client’s home, never pour the massage oil down the drain. This is not only harmful to the environment, but can also cause plumbing problems.
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