In a 1997 case involving alleged environmental contamination in a largely minority neighborhood, the Judge asserted that physical differences between races were the product of their environment. “Why do you think Chinese people are short?” Hoyt told the lawyers in the case. “Because there is so much damn wind over there they need to be short. Why are they so tall in Africa? Because they need to be tall. It’s environmental. I mean, you don’t just jump up and get a banana off a tree if you’re only four feet. If you are seven feet tall and standing in China, then you’re going to get blown away when that Siberian wind comes through.”

Ah, niets aan de hand: ‘t was zelf een zwarte medemens. Niet dat het om te lachen was of zo, die gast bedoelde dat serieus, maar bon. [via John Robb]