Rep. John Lewis, who died on Friday, was among the original Freedom Riders and “absolutely fearless and courageous, totally committed,” said civil rights historian Raymond Arsenault ’69. — The New York Times
Pilar Margarita Hernández Escontrías ’08 is in a group of four lawyers arguing the bar exam “is equal parts a standardized test and hazing ritual,” and should be ended as the pandemic makes indoor gatherings dangerous. — The Washington Post
Circuit Judge Denny Chin ’75, who sentenced Bernie Madoff to 150 years in 2009, rejected Madoff’s plea for an early release, saying, “it was fully my intent that he live out the rest of his life in prison.” — The Palm Beach Daily News
Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo ’87, chair of UC San Francisco’s Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, predicted Los Angeles, Orange, and Imperial counties will go back onto lockdown to stop a coronavirus surge. She said the key “is for governments to show people how continuing to sacrifice now will make it possible for more essential aspects of life, like schools, to return sooner.” — The Woodland Daily Democrat
“Arrests require probable cause that a federal crime had been committed, that is, specific information indicating that the person likely committed a federal offense, or a fair probability ... If the agents are grabbing people because they may have been involved in protests, that’s not probable cause.”
— University of California at Berkeley Law School professor Orin Kerr ’93 on the federal agents and protestors in Portland, Oregon. — The Washington Post
Dr. Mark Schlissel ’79, president of the University of Michigan, said with some exceptions, everyone on campus will be required to wear a mask, “one of the most effective tools we have for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and saving lives.” — NBC 25 News
Denouncing a Time article that called for Hollywood to stop lionizing police in the form of superheroes, “Superman” actor Dean Cain ’88 said many movies feature bad cops as villains. Of police, he said, “I promise you, these men and women are heroes.” — Fox News
Michelle Obama ’85 is launching a podcast on Spotify about relationships and health, saying in a statement she hopes it will help people open up hard conversations “with the people who matter most to them. That’s how we can build more understanding and empathy for one another.” — The Guardian
George Whitesides ’96, chief space officer and former CEO of Virgin Galactic, discussed developments in space tourism including the company’s new private astronaut program. — BRINK
2 Responses
Fred Gehris M.D. ’64
4 Years AgoProfessional Standards
As a physician I read with interest the complaints of the recent law school graduates about having to take the bar exam, which has been impacted by the virus situation (Alumni in the News email, July 21). It certainly sounds as though they weren’t confident to take the exam but they also went on to complain about having to finish law school online, losing money attributed to housing, etc. They don’t seem to realize that millions of high school and college students, to say nothing of enrollees in graduate programs including medical schools, experienced the same problems.
I am pretty close to the Hopkins medical-education establishment and follow alumni affairs, and while the curriculum in most medical schools has been undergoing a lot of changes recently, I haven’t heard of any dropping licensing requirements for physicians nor do I believe any hospital or health system would hire a physician who could not pass state licensing requirements. Indeed, most require board certification, which requires even more exams. So why should attorneys not have to pass a minimum examination requirement? The complaint seems, frankly, childish.
Brian Abel Ragen *87
4 Years AgoRep. John Lewis H’87
The July 21 “Princeton Aumni in the News” email lists Raymond Arsenault’s New York Times piece on the late John Lewis, but it does not note that Lewis himself held a Princeton degree. I vividly recall the Commencement at which he received his honorary LL.D. in 1987, since I received my Ph.D. at the same ceremony. I think we should claim him as one of our own!