Prof. Goodwin's "Cambridge-Gate" Op/Ed in Christian Science Monitor

In her opinion article in the Christian Science Monitor, Professor Michele Goodwin asks "whether 'Cambridge-Gate' tells us anything about the state of race relations in America, or was the arrest of prestigious Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. just an isolated incident blown out of proportion?" The dueling perspectives are revealing, she argues. Goodwin states, "In 'post-racial' America, discussing uncomfortable racial encounters, especially by law enforcement, can seem like whining or victimhood." She attributes this to the conflation of racial stories and generalities that sometimes live beyond their isolated instances. Goodwin offers that the status academic distinction confers, including the desire to be insulated from stereotyping and maltreatment, should be the social standard for the treatment of everyone in the United States.