Controversy Surrounds New York Times' Reporting on Zohran Mamdani's Racial Background
A recent article published by the New York Times has sparked significant debate, focusing on the racial background of New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. The piece raised questions about Mamdani’s past statements regarding his race, based on a tip from an individual associated with "race science." This report has drawn attention not only for its content but also for the questionable nature of its source.
Mamdani's college application to Columbia University included both "Asian" and "Black or African American" as his race. Despite his parents being of Indian descent, he was born in Uganda and lived there for the first five years of his life. When questioned by the Times, Mamdani explained that he checked the "Black or African American" box because he considers himself an American who was born in Africa. He clarified that he does not identify as Black and felt the application's options were insufficient to capture the complexity of his racial identity.
The controversy surrounding the article stems from the source of the information. The Times revealed that it obtained details about Mamdani from a large hack of a Columbia University database. The specific information about Mamdani came from an intermediary known as "Crémieux" on platforms like Substack and X. The newspaper described this individual as an academic opposed to affirmative action and someone who frequently writes about IQ and race.
Further scrutiny of the source emerged through reports from other outlets. A piece by Jason Wilson of The Guardian highlighted that the Times significantly downplays the extreme views of its source. Wilson identified "Crémieux" as Jordan Lasker, whose writings often support the work of "race scientists." These individuals use IQ test results to argue that Black people are mentally inferior to other races.
Lasker's Substack features posts that explore the supposed relationship between race and IQ. One prominent post claims that average national IQs can vary by up to 40 points, with countries in Europe, North America, and East Asia at the higher end, while many African countries are said to have lower IQs associated with mental impairment.
Another investigation by Hunter Walker of Talking Points Memo revealed that Lasker regularly discusses the so-called racial "IQ gap." He has even suggested there are "genetic pathways of crime." On his X account, Lasker has made comments about differences in brain sizes between Black and white Americans, as well as between women and men.
Brandon McEuen, a historian at Wayne State University specializing in the history of the eugenics movement, criticized the Times for using Lasker as a source and granting him anonymity. McEuen pointed out that Lasker's name has been published in other outlets that do not provide favorable coverage for eugenicists.
The situation raises important questions about the ethics of sourcing and the potential impact of such reporting on public discourse. As the debate continues, the role of media in accurately representing complex issues remains under intense scrutiny.
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