(Fwd) (Fwd) Rushton booklet sent to scholars nationwide

I had a reaction similar to that of Alan Spector.  I posted the 
message below on PSN and the Association of Black Sociologists list.

Steve Rosenthal
******************************************************
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Priority:      normal
Date:          Tue, 7 Dec 1999 21:51:22 +0000
Reply-to:      Association of Black Sociologists 
<ABSLST-L@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
From:          Steve Rosenthal <smrose@MAILHUB.EXIS.NET>
Subject:       (Fwd) Rushton booklet sent to scholars nationwide
To:            ABSLST-L@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU

Transaction Publishers (Somerset, NJ) obtained the mailing lists of
the ASA, the APA, and other professional societies and sent out
thousands of free copies of a special abridged edition of J. Philippe
Rushton's "Race, Evolution, and Behavior."  This information comes
from a letter sent out to ASA section officers from Felice Levine,
executive officer of the ASA.  Here is the letter:
********************************************************
Dear ASA Members:

I learned at the end of last week that Transaction Publishers have used a
mailing list rented from the American Sociological Association to send to
ASA members an abridged version of the book, Race, Evolution and Behavior,
by J. Philippe Rushton. ASA processed a mailing list rental request from
Transaction Publishers for mailing a promotional flyer. Such requests for
mailing list rentals are processed routinely from well known publishers of
scholarly products. ASA did not authorize rental of its mailing list to
distribute this book and has written a letter to the President of
Transaction expressing grave concerns with this unauthorized use.

Apparently a large number of members of the American Psychological
Association (APA) also received this book distributed on APA mailing labels.
Other societies too may have been used by Transaction to facilitate this
distribution. As we learn more, I will keep you informed.

Sincerely,

Felice J. Levine
Executive Officer
American Sociological Association
**************************************************************
Several ABS members have posted messages reporting that they received
this ugly hate mail.  I also received a copy.  Members of other
sociology lists have also posted messages about receiving the book.

This is not an ordinary event.  When was the last time a publisher
sent out tens of thousands of free copies of a special edition of a
monograph?  And in a unmarked envelope with no return address?

Rushton is part of the Pioneer Fund financed group of Nazi academics
whose lies were extensively cited by Murray and Herrnstein in "The
Bell Curve."  Most of the statements of "acclaim" for the book come
from other Pioneer Fund financed fascists.  (Bob Newby and I and
others published articles on this subject several years ago in a
special issue of "The American Behavioral Scientist" that Bob
edited.)

We should develop some organized responses to this vile mass mailing.
For one thing, we should demand that Transaction Publishers reveal
who gave them the money to distribute this book.  We should further
insist that Transaction Publishers be denied permission to set up a
booth at any academic conferences.  If the ASA and other associations
do not bar them, we should picket and leaflet demanding their
removal.  Any publisher that would distribute such racist garbage has
surely forfeited its right to peddle its books at our meetings.

Felice Levine's response is grossly inadequate.  We should demand
that the ASA take much stronger action.  Any other suggestions?

I'm going to forward this to ASA President Joe Feagin.

Steve Rosenthal