Letter to Editor of MADERA TRIBUNE from Candidate Congress DC 19 Loraine Goodwin

I am writing to correct the review of the Chowchilla candidate’s forum last Wednesday by Mr. Coate. First the headline that all “13 touted their conservatism” is in error because I am certainly not a conservative, I consider myself a moderate Central Valley mom. Second, his statement that I said the U.S. Constitution was not meant for minorities when it was created leaves an air of incompleteness which I need to clarify.


Article !, Section 2 of the Constitution states the Constitution only considered free Persons and those bound to Service for a Term of Years. Indians were excluded and Blacks, who were considered property, were only counted as three fifths of all other Persons.

During the debate I emphasized that, I know the Constitution had flaws, because Blacks were not considered whole Persons. At the debate, I stated we can, as Americans, change and correct those original flaws through amendments and judicial review. I said this for the education of the students present. (I am also a teacher). Considering Blacks as only property, was corrected by the Fourteenth Amendment. The original error in denying women the right to vote was corrected by the 19th Amendment. Equal protection and rights under American law was not given to minorities and women until the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Women were not given the right to equal pay until President Obama signed the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.

As a member of the Madera Unified School Board I pledged my faith to the US. Constitution and the State of California and to abide by all laws. As an attorney and a licensed California physician, I am also strictly bound by the U.S. Constitution and the laws of California. The Constitution was and is the basic framework for our country, but it was not a perfect document, because it was created by men.

I just wanted to clear up the ambiguous statement from the Saturday paper because many fear minorities are un-American. I have many veterans in my family and my family farming traces back generations into days of slavery. I am wholly American - native American - and the U.S. is my only country. Let there be no confusion. ‘Nuff said.

Dr. Loraine Goodwin, Md.D. J.D.