Affirmative Action
Adela de la Torre’s impassioned defense of affirmative action (Commentary, April 10) suffers from the same fatal error pervasive in nearly every commentary I have read opposing the California Civil Rights Initiative. De la Torre’s statement that affirmative action does not harm qualified white males belies common sense.
Under affirmative action, factors other than merit (such as race) are considered in the hiring or admissions process. When these additional factors are considered, the most qualified person does not always get the job or admission. Yet, De la Torre herself claims that minorities and women will suffer if affirmative action is dismantled. Who, then, is suffering now?
Affirmative action proponents can trot out all the “statistics” they wish, but the bottom line is clear. By its very definition, affirmative action benefits minorities at the expense of white males.
DANIEL H. BAREN
Newport Beach
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