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A Conflict of Interest “Revisited”: The Use of Stereotypes
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IN RESPONSE:
My apologies to my Jewish colleagues.
When I wrote “A Conflict of Interest,” which was based on real-life experience, I retained both the character and ethnicity of Iggie Lavinsky. It never occurred to me that I was creating an offensive stereotype.
When the story was performed at Mayo Clinic, one Jewish couple raised these same objections to me, and I was both surprised and mortified. I checked with the performers, all Jewish. None had had a problem with Lavinsky. But such judgments are in the eye of the beholder, and I can understand Dr. Klein's sensitivity.
Later, I offered the story to Annals, raising the issue of Lavinsky to the Editors as well. The Editors felt a more “neutral” name for the Lavinsky character would be advisable but left the final decision to me. But the story “works” with the reader's instant recognition of the ruthless lawyer's name. A bland name would never do. I might have used Augie Donatelli or Mickie Joe Doherty—but that seemed to me less honest than staying close to reality. And so Iggie Lavinsky lived on.
Now back to the “eye of the beholder” point. In the story, Mrs. Heath has Prudhomme's firm initially represent her. Reading between the lines, it would seem they will lose the case through their own ineptitude, and Mrs. Heath will be “forgotten, with barely an apology. She and her four children … would be the ultimate victims”. Prudhomme is not a neutral name, Dr. Zucker; nor is it terribly “clean” in this case, Dr. Sobel. Please note, Dr. Klein, that it is French-Canadian; I have yet to hear from my compatriots on this one.
Finally, let us look back at the story from our earned perspectives: Is the narrator's attorney truthful in his rendition of events at the story's beginning? How is the law best served in this story? Which attorney in the story best serves his client? Perhaps this, by a Jewish attorney in response to his reading “Conflict” can help us here:
“It all goes to show that life is not simple and even the Lavinskys of the world can, on occasion, help the needy. Life would be much simpler if the only colors were black and white. It's those darn grays that cause confusion … the search for truth and meaning is an exciting endeavor …”.
The Editors apologize to readers who saw Dr. LaCombe's piece as ethnic stereotyping. Its publication should not be taken as reflecting any editorial policy, and the Editors regret any offense it gave.
- Copyright ©2004 by the American College of Physicians
