Shelby Steele on Preference

The commentary on affirmative action programs by Shelby Steele (“The High Price of Preference,” Bookmark, Opinion, Sept. 30) was especially disturbing in that it rehashes the old stereotypical racist view that affirmative action programs promote the hiring of less competent minority workers at the expense of more qualified whites. As a personnel specialist in public sector hiring, I can assure the readers that we are choosing from equally unqualified candidates.

JONATHAN DOUWE

Los Angeles