▁dist orted ▁by ▁judgment ▁according ▁to ▁today ' s ▁standards . ▁General ▁scientific ▁observations ▁should ▁not ▁be ▁read ▁as ▁personal ▁moral ▁statements ." ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁C att ell ▁was ▁chosen ▁by ▁the ▁American ▁Psych ological ▁Association ▁( AP A ) ▁for ▁its ▁" G old ▁Medal ▁Award ▁for ▁L if etime ▁Ach iev ement ▁in ▁the ▁Science ▁of ▁Psych ology ." ▁Before ▁the ▁medal ▁was ▁presented , ▁Me h ler ▁launched ▁a ▁public ity ▁campaign ▁against ▁C att ell ▁through ▁his ▁non pro fit ▁foundation ▁IS AR , ▁acc using ▁C att ell ▁of ▁being ▁sympath etic ▁to ▁rac ist ▁and ▁fasc ist ▁ideas . ▁Me h ler ▁claimed ▁that ▁" it ▁is ▁un con sc ion able ▁to ▁honor ▁this ▁man ▁whose ▁work ▁helps ▁to ▁dign ify ▁the ▁most ▁destruct ive ▁political ▁ideas ▁of ▁the ▁tw enti eth ▁century ". ▁A ▁blue - rib bon ▁committee ▁was ▁conven ed ▁by ▁the ▁A PA ▁to ▁investigate ▁the ▁legit im acy ▁of ▁the ▁charges . ▁Before ▁the ▁committee ▁reached ▁a ▁decision , ▁C att ell ▁issued ▁an ▁open ▁letter ▁to ▁the ▁committee ▁saying ▁" I ▁ab hor ▁rac ism ▁and ▁disc rim ination ▁based ▁on ▁race . ▁Any ▁other ▁belief ▁would ▁be ▁ant ith et ical ▁to ▁my ▁life ' s ▁work " ▁and ▁saying ▁that ▁" it ▁is ▁un fortun ate ▁that ▁the ▁A PA ▁announ cement ▁... ▁has ▁brought ▁mis gu ided ▁critics ' ▁statements ▁a ▁great ▁deal ▁of ▁public ity ." ▁C att ell ▁refused