by Benjamin Zeisloft
A leading medical journal terminated an editor who questioned the existence of structural racism. His fellow medical professors expressed approval of the firing.
The American Medical Association wrote in a statement that it was “deeply disturbed” and “angered” by a recent Journal of the American Medical Association podcast that “questioned the existence of structural racism.” Though the organization claimed that “JAMA has editorial independence from AMA,” the statement added that “this tweet and podcast are inconsistent with the policies and views of AMA.”
Update: @CEO_AMA on important steps being taken in response to JAMA’s harmful podcast & tweet. Additionally, JAMA EIC Howard Bauchner, MD has asked for, received & accepted resignation of the editor who hosted the podcast. https://t.co/TlvHDl7eRw
— AMA (@AmerMedicalAssn) March 11, 2021
Accordingly, JAMA Editor-in-Chief Howard Bauchner asked for and received the resignation of podcast host and deputy editor Dr. Edward Livingston (pictured above).
The Daily Wire obtained a copy of the since-deleted podcast. During the episode, Livingston asked podcast guest Dr. Mitchell Katz, “Given that racism is illegal, how can it be so embedded in society that it’s considered structural?”
Katz explained several examples of structural racism, after which Livingston commented, “I feel like I’m being told I’m a racist in the modern era because of this whole thing about structural racism, but what you’re talking about, it isn’t so much racism as much as that there are populations, it’s more of a socioeconomic phenomenon, that have a hard time getting out of their place because of their environment.”
“And it isn’t their race; it isn’t their color; it’s their socioeconomic status,” he continued. “It’s where they are.” Katz responded to Livingston in agreement.
The podcast was promoted on JAMA’s Twitter page under the caption “No physician is racist, so how can there be structural racism in health care?”
Thread on @JAMA_current: (JAMA has complete editorial independence from AMA so this would not come to me or my team for review) The podcast/tweet are/were wrong, absolutely appalling & at its very core is a demonstration of structural & institutional racism. I am furious. 1/ pic.twitter.com/o82H8dgR5v
— Dr. Aletha Maybank (@DrAlethaMaybank) March 4, 2021
When the American Medical Association announced the termination of Livingston — who has served as a professor at the University of California-Los Angeles and the University of Texas — on social media, other medical professors applauded the decision.
“Glad to see some concrete steps here after the #racist physician tweet/podcast,” wrote University of Minnesota medical professor Betsy Hirsch.
Glad to see some concrete steps here after the #racist physician tweet/podcast.
Is one editor really enough to review all publications 📝 for #racism? I bet that is more than other journals have though… #medicalracism #SystemicRacism https://t.co/RNgBsUSQq3 pic.twitter.com/V2lI4MqE0u
— Betsy Hirsch, PharmD (TTPD) (@EB_Hirsch) March 11, 2021
“Here is the AMA response to the ‘no physician is racist’ tweet and associated podcast,” added University of Southern California clinical pediatrics professor Michael Cosimini. “I remain very curious what the review process was before they released this piece and how it could have been let through.”
https://twitter.com/MichaelCosimini/status/1370023226248626179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1370023226248626179%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.campusreform.org%2Farticle%3Fid%3D17190
Campus Reform reached out to JAMA and Livingston for comment; this article will be updated accordingly.
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Ben Zeisloft is a Pennsylvania Senior Campus Correspondent, reporting on liberal bias and abuse for Campus Reform. He is studying Finance and Marketing at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Benjamin also writes for The UPenn Statesman and the Wharton International Business Review.
Photo “Edward Livingston” by Jama Evidence.
