The Flaw in WNET’s Fix

Concerning “WNET Calls WWII Documentary ‘Flawed’ ” (Sept. 9), WNET’s solution for avoiding repeats of the incredible situation with “Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in WWII” is itself to be questioned.

According to WNET’s Harry Chancey, vice president of program service, henceforth, “independent producers . . . will have to provide documented and annotated research that would back up the assertions in their films.”

This seemingly reasonable requirement could pose an insurmountable obstacle to responsible producers of other black military documentaries. Many of the important events in African-American military history--if they have been the subject of any documented or annotated research--have been distorted/diminished/denigrated in mainstream (“white”) history.

Let’s not correct too fast for an isolated instance and make it virtually impossible for others to tell parts of the extraordinary story of how African-American fighting men (and some special women) have contributed to the United States for more than 300 years!

DAVID K. CARLISLE

Los Angeles