Assembly Hearing

* Re “College Officials in the Hot Seat,” Oct. 17:

By putting Cal State Northridge President Blenda J. Wilson and another higher education official under oath and asking them if they were under the influence of drugs in testimony before an Oct. 16 Assembly budget subcommittee on education finance hearing, Chairman Bernie Richter (R-Chico) and subcommittee counsel Robert J. Corry conjured up disturbing parallels to the reprehensible tactics of Sen. Joseph McCarthy and Roy Cohn.

Richter and Corry, who conducted the hearing on race and gender preferences in a thinly veiled attempt to promote Prop. 209, offered no evidence to support their insinuations of drug use. Nor was the question asked of all witnesses. Why then was the question asked of Wilson? Could it be because she is black and female?

I understand that many if not most Prop. 209 proponents do so on the basis of the most noble principles. But the bizarre actions of Richter and Corry, two of the measure’s most fervent backers, lead me to believe that racism and sexism are still forces to be reckoned with in our society, and now is not the time to abandon a remedy that has produced such tangible results.

JON STEFANSSON

Pasadena

* Anyone who has had to endure bureaucratic baffle-gab from a college administrator can understand why Assemblyman Richter put diversity flacks like Wilson under oath. Anyone who can read a newspaper will understand that The Times hit Richter in two editorials, one disguised as reporting [and the Oct. 18 editorial].

As Prop. 209 approaches passage, The Times grows more hysterical. Relax, you’ll find you can live without preferences when you have to.

RICHARD FERRIER

Santa Paula

* After reading about Richter and Corry’s rude and disrespectful treatment of witnesses during their Assembly hearing, I have only one question: Were they on drugs?

STUART WEISS

Los Angeles