Patricia J. WilliamsWhile most experts in American social and political discourse beat dead horses or take on windmills, Patricia J. Williams looks for racist, sexist forces , heterosexist and classist which are at the origin of a certain number of socio-political pathologies. Williams' regular Nation magazine column, "Diary of a Mad Law Professor," is curious in that it often evokes a visceral negativity in casual readers. It definitely affected me that way. At first, it was difficult to get past the name of his page; As I flipped through each issue, I timidly wondered why this crazy woman was going to get twisted this week. Although I generally agreed with her ideas, I was struck by the fact that Williams was too radical (as if there really was such a thing in mainstream media culture that chose to wear blinders). Williams vigorously uproots preconceived ideas by eliminating the “rich white male” perspective; power and voice are given to those who are simply subject to actions. Like Howard Zinn who championed a view of history through a populist lens, Patricia Williams promotes a viewpoint that examines and judges the treatment of the marginalized. Williams is clearly not the only contemporary essayist with a broad view on social issues. Katha Pollitt, EL Doctorow, Gore Vidal and Alexander Cockburn, among others, are equally progressive in their views on society, politics and culture. Williams, however, has an altered gestalt upon which his liberal commentary on sociopolitical affairs rests. The way the mechanisms of society can be explained is a relationship of domination and submission, a pornographic association. As depicted in "Clarence The key to accessing Williams is the key she teaches us to accessing a more equal society: a society in which the boxes are eliminated, because clearly, neither we nor Patricia Williams can be categorized in this way without losing our humanity. Works Cited Williams, Patricia J. The Alchemy of Race and Rights. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1991. “Clarence X,” The Rooster’s Egg. 121-136. “Fire and Ice”. Alchemy. 133-145. “A personal hearing. » Rooster egg. 137-149. “Little House in the Hood.” » The nation. June 19, 2000: 9. “Mirrors and windows. » Alchemy. 166-178. “The pain of the servitude of words. » Alchemy.146-165. “Racial ventriloquism.” The nation. July 5, 1999: 9. “Radio Hoods.” Rooster egg. 42-56.The rooster's egg. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1995. “Teleology on the Rocks.” Alchemy. 55-79.