TULANE LAW SCHOOL THREAD

[Ever]

It is unfortunate that people would vote for or against Nagin simply because he became a symbol for race. That is one thing that I noticed about New Orleans; how people approached race seemed completely different than Oklahoma and Dallas. I could never really get a grasp on it. It seemed to me like race was almost a minor issue; that the city didn't have the same clashes that I see in Dallas. My dad and I could talk very easily with anyone black or white and it felt very smooth, not forced or uneasy. Was there simply a storm brewing underneath?

[ivywhore]

It is unfortunate that people would vote for or against Nagin simply because he became a symbol for race. That is one thing that I noticed about New Orleans; how people approached race seemed completely different than Oklahoma and Dallas. I could never really get a grasp on it. It seemed to me like race was almost a minor issue; that the city didn't have the same clashes that I see in Dallas. My dad and I could talk very easily with anyone black or white and it felt very smooth, not forced or uneasy. Was there simply a storm brewing underneath?

The black-white divide is so great (economically and socially) that they haven't even progressed to th point of having tensions over equality.

[Nola]

I think it's a lot more complicated than race.  National media likes to simplify matters, but the fact is, race in New Orleans is not as easy as black or white.  Prior to Katrina, Nagin had high approval ratings overall, but was criticized by some black civic leaders for not favoring minority businesses enough.   He wasn't considered "black enough" for some people, and the city council and school board pretty much hated him.  He got death threats for not making good on corrupt contracts made by the previous mayor.  He turned a lot of white voters off with the patently offensive "chocolate city" speech, but others remember his performance pre-Katrina and are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

On the other hand, Landrieu, by nature of his family's history, can expect the backing of at least some of the black community.  His daddy, Moon Landrieu, was the mayor in the early seventies and he was responsible for desegregating city goverment and public housing.   Plus, he doesn't have the strikes against his credibility that Nagin does at this point. 

We're white, and I voted for Forman, but my husband voted for Nagin.  I think to paint the election with the broad strokes of white candidate vs black candidate does a disservice to everyone.

[ladymuscadet]

I think to paint the election with the broad strokes of white candidate vs black candidate does a disservice to everyone.

Amen.

[nolalove]

i think that's a really good point. analyzing an issue with only one viewpoint (a racial angle) won't yield a full picture.

That said, it appears that Nagin's supporters were almost entirely black voters:

"Though the runoff pits Nagin against Landrieu, who is white, the result Saturday wasn’t necessarily suggestive of an electorate riven along racial lines. While precinct-by-precinct analysis wasn’t available late Saturday, tracking polls throughout the campaign showed Landrieu drawing up to 30 percent of black voters and Nagin drawing around 10 percent of his support from white voters." (nola times picayune)

And Landrieu appears to be campaigning based on his racially diverse group of
supporters: "Today in this great American city, African American and white, Hispanic and Vietnamese, almost in equal measure came forward to propel this campaign forward and loudly proclaimed that we in New Orleans will be one people, we will speak with one voice and we will have one future,” said Landrieu" (new orleans times picayune)

So, given that there is a significant "crossover vote" (in terms of race), race definitely isn't the sole deciding factor. I really didn't mean to imply that it was. I just think it is one factor, and I was curious how important of a factor people felt that it was. (Excellent point re: Landrieu legacy as well. Easy for us out-of-towners to forget).

[Nola]

I just think it's terribly amusing that Landrieu portrays himself as the outsider.  His sister's a U.S. Senator, his father was the mayor, and he's currently the Lieutenant Governor to Blanco, who is even less popular than Nagin. 

But to get back on topic, anyone interested in politics would have a lot of volunteer opportunities here.  I'd be surprised if we don't get the 2008 Democratic Convention.

[cheesesteak]

I will be joining all of you in August.  Hooray!  I made a dang decision. 

[Hedley Lamarr]

I will be joining all of you in August.  Hooray!  I made a dang decision. 

Congrats!! And congrats to everyone else who has gotten in and/or made the decision in the past few days. I was taking a break from LSD...

We all need to do that!

[nolalove]

cheesesteak! hooray! i'm so glad we'll be seeing you next year at Tulane.

withj-- i just wanted to say i've been thinking more about your "non-traditional" admit, and i think it's so amazing. i hope you come to Tulane.

[withj]

cheesesteak! hooray! i'm so glad we'll be seeing you next year at Tulane.

withj-- i just wanted to say i've been thinking more about your "non-traditional" admit, and i think it's so amazing. i hope you come to Tulane.

Yes, that is amazing. It is a little-known fact that you can actually go to law school without a bachelor's degree, in certain circumstances. But I don't think I've seen anyone on LSD do it before.

Thanks, bonkers and nolalove. There's nothing I'd love better than matriculating at Tulane this fall. I've got to see how the financial angle plays out.

Even though it's permissible according to ABA legal education standards, most schools don't want anything to do with it. First of all, the language of the rule is vague and susceptible to widely divergent interpretations: ("if the applicant’s experience, ability, and other characteristics clearly show an aptitude for the study of law"). Also, the interest law schools have in upholding a clearly defined, uniformly enforced standard for admission is obvious. And, of course, no school wants to get jacked in the rankings

Still, the exception exists for a reason, namely so that ABA-accredited law schools can provide access to a legal education on a case-by-case basis to individuals who have a good reason for not meeting the education requirement but who are otherwise capable. I had to try and make the case that the circumstances of my life provide a compelling reason for my not obtaining an undergraduate degree, and that I possess the aptitude to succeed in the study of law.

Keeping in mind I was for the most part only applying to schools that sent me a fee waiver or that had free online application (because I didn't expect anything to come of it, and didn't want to throw money away), here's the breakdown of my cycle so far:

Accepted:
Ave Maria (Actually admitted 2005, but deferred a year)
Hofstra
Tulane

Waitlisted:
Illinois U/C (Priority)
Loyola-Chi
Washington & Lee

Denied:
Brooklyn
Cardozo
Case Western
Catholic
Chicago Kent
Indiana
Northwestern

Pending:
Alabama
DePaul
McGeorge
USF