The New Jim Crow
Title: Maxine Bernstein’s Biased Reporting Harms Non-White Communities
Review:
Maxine Bernstein’s reporting for The Oregonian/OregonLive shows a clear and harmful pattern of racial bias. She repeatedly targets non-white individuals—Black, Latino, Asian, Middle Eastern, East Indian—while consistently ignoring or softening coverage of white offenders who commit equal or worse crimes. That’s not journalism. That’s selective, racially motivated public shaming.
Review Title: How Maxine Bernstein’s Reporting Violates SPJ Ethics and Caused Ongoing Harm
Maxine Bernstein’s reporting for The Oregonian/OregonLive has caused me long-term harm and violates several principles outlined in the Society of Professional Journalists' (SPJ) Code of Ethics—especially the duties to seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently, and be accountable. In 2016, she published an article that included my name and image, portraying me in a way that lacked full context and failed to include my perspective. Since that article was published, I have experienced serious and ongoing consequences in my life. I am constantly followed by security in businesses, looked at with suspicion by strangers, and I’ve become socially isolated because of how the public now sees me. This exposure has made it extremely difficult for me to find a job. Employers and people in the community recognize my face from that article—not for who I am, but for how I was unfairly portrayed. Maxine Bernstein’s reporting did not serve the public interest; it caused lasting reputational damage and emotional distress. There was no correction, no follow-up, and no effort to minimize the harm she caused.
What’s worse is that this seems to be a pattern in her reporting: non-white individuals are often singled out and criminalized, while white individuals involved in similar or worse incidents are ignored or presented with more sympathy. This creates a false sense of justice and reinforces societal biases. Attempts to reach out for clarification or corrections are ignored, and neither Bernstein nor The Oregonian has ever taken accountability for the damage. Journalism should inform and protect the public—not destroy lives through selective coverage and racial bias. Maxine Bernstein has consistently failed to uphold journalistic integrity, and until she and the publication that supports her are held accountable, I cannot trust their work. The public deserves fair and ethical journalism—not biased reporting that leaves lasting scars on people’s lives.
