Author Archives: Michele Goodwin
May 23, 2012, 11:49 am
By Michele Goodwin
"Yeah, but you can still sign a check with your other hand, can't ya, buddy?" (Photo by Parker Michael Knight via Flickr/CC)
Next week, Sen. Al Franken, a Minnesota Democrat, will chair a field hearing on the effectiveness of federal laws to protect patients’ access to care and privacy. The hearing comes on the heels of Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson‘s accusing Accretive Health–one of the nation’s largest debt-collection agencies–of excessive and possibly illegal tactics, including strong-arming patients in Minnesota hospitals. A voluminous six part report can be found here. However, the issue extends beyond Minnesota as Accretive has contracts with hospital systems throughout the nation.
According to the attorney general’s report, the Illinois-based collection agency hid in…
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May 3, 2012, 6:37 pm
By Michele Goodwin
This week Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown tossed race in the fire of his heated re-election bid against Harvard Law Professor, Elizabeth Warren. At issue is Elizabeth Warren’s voluntary listing as a “minority” in the American Association of Law Schools’ directory, which reports how law professors self-identify (by race and gender). For a decade (1986-1996), Warren listed herself as Native American rather than white and felt justified, and in her words, “proud” in doing so because of her great-great-great grandparent’s American Indian status.
Scott Brown’s team demanded that Warren issue an apology or proof. But, to whom and why? Legally, U.S. legislatures and courts imposed a “one-drop” status rule that held all persons of any African decent to be legally—and subordinately—“negro,” thus denying those even 1/16th black the privileges and rights afforded …
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May 1, 2012, 7:20 pm
By Michele Goodwin
Rodney King (photo from Wikipedia)
Twenty years ago this week, riots swept through Los Angeles. Rioters looted stores and then burned them to the ground. Photographers and journalists attempted to capture the mêlée, but some were physically assaulted in the process. South Central and South East Los Angeles were on fire. The vitriol and violence emerged hours after several white police officers were acquitted by an all-white jury in the infamous Rodney King beating case. A year before, Rodney King’s name left an indelible mark on our collective conscious as did the video tape of his brutal beating at the hands of baton-wielding officers.
Indeed there was a sad double consciousness for some blacks—pain and empathy for King while at the same time his beating provided some political expediency…
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April 21, 2012, 5:01 pm
By Michele Goodwin
John McNeil Courtesy of NAACP
A few weeks before Christmas in 2005, John McNeil, an African American homeowner killed a trespasser, Brian Epp. McNeil, a middle-class businessman, claimed that Epp reached in his pocket (where aut
horities found a folded knife) and charged at him. McNeil shot a bullet in the ground, backed away from Epp, and urged the intruder to stop. According to an eye witness, Epp charged forward and was shot in the head.
Earlier in the day, McNeil’s son called his dad to report a trespasser on the family’s property. The McNeils and other homeowners had experienced violent outbursts from Brian Epp, a home builder. Indeed, the McNeils had employed Epp to build their new home. But, according to witness testimony, Epp had a temper. Indeed, at…
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April 20, 2012, 2:59 am
By Michele Goodwin
Come on guys, really? The most recent defense trotted out by men of authority who have sex with women other than their wives is the “I didn’t know she was a prostitute” excuse. It is a clever explanation, because character seems to no longer matter. Clearly these days, sex with anybody or thing is OK so long as it’s “consensual.” Forget about good judgment or character.
Remember Former IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s run in with a New York City maid? Despite DNA evidence implicating Strauss-Kahn in a sexual encounter of some sort with the alleged victim, prosecutors dropped sexual assault charges against him after concluding that the hotel housekeeper had questionable character. What about his character?
Strauss-Kahn is back in the news though, charged with aggravated “pimping.” Prosecutors claim that he’s one of the masterminds behind high end…
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March 29, 2012, 3:25 pm
By Michele Goodwin
Trayvon Martin’s tragic death last month focuses attention on Florida’s “Stand Your Own Ground” self-defense law as well as racial profiling as many people believe that George Zimmerman’s fatal shooting of the boy was out of racial anxiety, if not animus, rather than fear for his life. Indeed, the enhanced 911 call undermines statements made by Zimmerman’s attorney that race was not a factor in the shooting. Throughout much of the past two weeks, attention has been on Zimmerman—what was his state of mind on that night? Why was he stalking the boy? Why did he leave his automobile after a warning by the police to remain in the car? Why did Zimmerman intervene when police advised him not to do so, particularly with law enforcement on the way? Was he psychologically unstable prior to shooting Trayvon?
Absent from much of this discussion are probing questions…
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March 23, 2012, 10:15 am
By Michele Goodwin
Trayvon Martin was murdered last month, but this week the case gained national attention. Martin, an African-American teenager, was gunned down by George Zimmerman, an individual who identifies as a white male. The controversy in the case involves not only race: Zimmerman apparently left his car, stalked the youth, because he thought Martin looked suspicious and “out of place,” and gunned him down. Zimmerman’s supporters claim that had Trayvon—who was on his way back to a family member’s home, carrying a pack of Skittles and ice tea—answered Zimmerman by identifying himself and explaining why he was in the neighborhood, this tragedy might have been averted. But, there is no duty to explain oneself while walking down the street. As a constitutional matter, individuals need not answer the police: You have the right to remain silent.
But the case also brings into…
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March 21, 2012, 2:47 pm
By Michele Goodwin
Part 1 of this series addressed gender and the Fisher case, which will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court later in the year.
According to the CIA, Cuba’s literacy rate is 99.8%. Why does Cuba, an incredibly poor nation, have a higher literacy rate than the U.S.? Education is regarded as a priority for all; their poorest youth are treated to boarding schools. The same is true in China. Some of the most attractive architecture in China happens to be its boarding schools—and those institutions are public. That’s right—free boarding-school education and dormitories for students.
Around the world some of the best architecture is devoted to public schools. The American Institute of Architects will host an exhibit on Finnish public schools this year. Why? Because their public schools are beautiful and their students are among the highest achievers in the world. No…
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March 15, 2012, 9:35 am
By Michele Goodwin
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear Fisher v. University of Texas, a case brought by a young woman who claims that she was discriminated against in the Texas undergraduate admissions process. Many commentators on the left and right assume that Fisher marks the death of affirmative action. Justice Kagan recused herself; she was US Solicitor General and filed a brief when the case was before the Fifth Circuit. However, few commentators consider who benefits from the platform and whether or not (and for whom) it achieves its goals. For example, some blacks think affirmative action was only about them. On the other hand white women may not recognize the entitlements they’ve gained due to affirmative action. In part, the dialogue about affirmative action misses much.
Ironically, if affirmative action “dies,” some might argue that its demise is proof of its…
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March 6, 2012, 9:51 am
By Michele Goodwin
(from freakingnews.com)
Yesterday, more advertisers departed from Rush Limbaugh’s ranks, responding to public pushback and outrage against a man known for vitriolic, uninformed commentary. Likely others will drop the show today as a public campaign to boycott all who advertise with Limbaugh mounts.
Why? For several days last week, Limbaugh lambasted Sandra Fluke, an articulate, Georgetown law student who urged health insurer coverage for contraception. Limbaugh took to the air, ridiculing Ms. Fluke, calling her a slut, comparing her to a prostitute and demanding a video so “so we can see what [sex] we are getting for our money.” This campaign may gain momentum in spite of the fact that prior efforts to “shut down” Rush failed. In this case, Rush isn’t beating up on poor black women by…
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February 23, 2012, 10:49 am
By Michele Goodwin
Guest post by Patricia Lee*
One of the most beautiful voices during our lifetime was physically and vocally silenced last week. Whitney Houston, entertainer, inspired songstress, and a diva (to many), passed away in Beverly Hills and was laid to rest in Newark on Saturday.
As close friends, her family and pundits reflected on Houston’s amazing lifetime impact during and after her funeral service, one begins to question whether the economic compensation paid through her recording contracts and the legal protections garnered for Houston’s gifts of song were on par with what she gave? Even if the economic compensation was hefty and the intellectual property rights and estate matters were fully in order, did Houston adequately guard her own body and her miracle vocal cords (as friend Kevin Costner suggested Houston might caution someone in her shoes) and did she properly prioritize…
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February 17, 2012, 11:33 am
By Michele Goodwin
A dear college friend died yesterday while serving as a correspondent in Syria, reporting on the rebellion against the Syrian president. He was 43. The world knows Anthony as a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for International Reporting, whose stories painted a broader picture of the beauty and terror in war-torn countries in the Middle East. He reported on war and conflicts in lands that now hold vital interest for the world. Through Anthony’s reporting, we came to learn about the struggles of people—an on-the-ground view. His work involved risk and danger. He was successful, because he was a decent man; success in that line of work can only occur if trust is built, especially among people increasingly wary about journalists. It is reported that he died of an asthma attack—the second he suffered that week.
Anthony was one of my closest college friends. We attended…
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February 3, 2012, 2:18 am
By Michele Goodwin
For quite a while, I’ve been concerned about how norms change in countries where human rights abuses persist despite international interventions, treaties, and the promulgation of laws. Sometimes cultural traditions are so deeply entrenched that “law” does not seem to matter.
For example, last week, an Afghan woman was found dead shortly after giving birth to her third daughter. Police believe that her mother-in-law assisted in the murder, by aiding her son as he strangled his wife to death. For months, the victim lived in fear that she would die if another girl were born into her family. It’s illegal to murder, but the instincts surrounding family honor, tradition, and birthing boys mattered more to the family that murdered the young mother.
According to local authorities and friends of the 22-year-old woman (only known as Estorai), she knew that her husband…
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January 30, 2012, 3:05 am
By Michele Goodwin
John Chadima, the senior associate athletic director at the University of Wisconsin, resigned this month after allegations surfaced that he sexually harassed a student, by pulling off the student’s belt, thrusting his hands in the pants of the young man, and then threatening to fire him if he told. To some, this might sound too familiar, like an echo of Penn State’s controversy without the ghastly shower scenarios of Jerry Sandusky and little boys or coach Fine and his alleged molestation of teenagers at Syracuse.
As inappropriate as Chadima’s conduct was—plying the student with alcohol after a night of drinking in his hotel room at the Rose Bowl—there are important differences. The student, referred to as John Doe in the Wisconsin investigation, was over 21, and not a little boy or teenager. How much older than 21 we do not know. According to the investigation, the …
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January 22, 2012, 5:35 pm
By Michele Goodwin
(AP Photo/The Washington Post, John McDonnell)
Joe Paterno has died. His family confirmed his passing in a press statement released Sunday morning. Paterno succumbed to lung cancer, a condition for which he was being treated. He died at the age of 85—a legend to many Penn State alumni. According to the family statement:
“He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been. His ambitions were far-reaching, but he never believed he had to leave this Happy Valley to achieve them. He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community.”
To be sure, the legacy that survives Joe Paterno’s death will never be viewed as tarnished by those who loved and adored him the most. They will…
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January 22, 2012, 12:11 am
By Michele Goodwin
This post responds to my reader, Chuck Kleinhans, who asked for a follow-up to my previous post: Too Disabled For An Organ Transplant, which ran last week. Chuck wanted to know a little more about the 1984 National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA).
The National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) was enacted in 1984. It is the first federal organ transplant law. Prior to that time, states organized their own organ transplant rules and they worked! The Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA) was enacted in all states, which means that states preserved their autonomy, but strove for consistency and uniformity with regard to organ transplant rules. The UAGA was first adopted in 1968 and was revised in 1987 in accordance with NOTA.
In short, NOTA limits all contributions to the U.S. organ supply pool to organs that are altruistically supplied. In other words, it prohibits any “valuable…
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January 20, 2012, 1:46 pm
By Michele Goodwin
Organ transplant politics are once again in the news. Most recently, a parent, Chrissy Rivera, alleged that Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has refused to perform a kidney transplant for her child. She claims that hospital officials turned down performing the transplant because staff referred to her child as “mentally retarded” and questioned the value of implanting the organ into a child with such severe mental and physical disabilities. According to her, hospital officials expressed concern about the quality of life benefit to the child as well as whether the family (and later the child) would have the means to sustain the medication regimen necessary to avoid organ rejection. Inherent in these concerns are financial consideration as anti-rejection medication costs can be exorbitant.
The 3-year-old child, Amelia Rivera, was born with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, a rare…
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January 17, 2012, 3:56 am
By Michele Goodwin
Every year, I travel back to a time and place I’ve never been, but feel incredibly familiar with—the landscapes and relationships crafted by Charlotte Bronte, in Jane Eyre. Right now, I’m finishing another reread. Like many, my first brush with the novel occurred during childhood—my favorite passage was the exchange between Jane and Mr. Brocklehurst, the sanctimonious clergyman in charge of Lowood, a boarding school for indigent girls—where he asked, if she was to avoid going to hell what must she do? Ten-year-old Jane’s response was that she must stay in good health and not die. Brilliant.
Charlotte was not the only literary talent in her family. Most are familiar with Emily (Wuthering Heights). But, Charlotte’s sister, Anne Bronte, provided a telling account about the lives of mid-19th century governesses and the abuse experienced by those live-in educators…
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January 4, 2012, 4:22 pm
By Michele Goodwin
Well sure, many would say. After all, in this election cycle and the last, a viable woman candidate emerged—one a Democrat and the other a Republican-to run for the presidency. But, it’s worth thinking about the question beyond whether a woman can raise money to campaign for the presidency of the United States or whether she can win a primary. Can she become a major party’s nominee? Unlike peer Western countries, like the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Israel (despite its location, Israel is counted as a Western economy), and Germany, or developing economies, such Brazil, Argentina, and India, we have no past and no foreseeable future with a woman as president or prime leader.
To be clear, there are at least 20 women currently serving as the prime leader of countries around the world—Switzerland, Germany, Finland, Argentina, Australia, Thailand, Liberia, Kosovo, and…
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January 2, 2012, 5:16 pm
By Michele Goodwin
About this time a year ago, Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, lamented the nation’s lackluster performance results in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) study. Every three years, PISA measures reading, math, and scientific literacy among 15-year-old students around the world. According to Duncan, PISA “is fast becoming the measuring rod by which countries track trends in national performance and assess college and career-readiness of students as they near the end of their compulsory education and prepare to participate in the global economy.”
Duncan eagerly awaited the results, but was sorely disappointed when they came in. It turns out that the U.S. is not among any of the top performing countries in any subject areas tested by PISA. U.S. students lag behind kids in Canada, Finland, South Korea, Estonia, Japan, Australia, Singapore, the Netherlands,…
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