Pendleton and Civil Rights

Your editorial (April 18), “Set Him Aside,” advocates removal of, or setting aside, the policies of the chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Clarence M. Pendleton, Jr.

In my opinion, your rationale is the equivalent of The Times endorsing the concept and theory that “two wrongs make a right.” Once again, The Times is showing its bleeding-heart, left-of-center bias toward minorities and women.

Once again, The Times is advocating quotas, so-called “affirmative action” and other failed and discredited policies that germinated during Lyndon Johnson’s not-so-Great Society of the late 1960s. Just like busing, these schemes are no longer appropriate to an America of the 1980s and 1990s.

Clarence Pendleton is one of the few black leaders in America who speaks ideas that will benefit minorities over the long run, and not merely a quick fix that is detrimental.

I say keep him on the job and retain his policies. He’s a breath of fresh air.

JERRY HERMES

San Diego