Needed opposition voices - Pasadena Star News
It was a disservice to your readers to publish a one-sided account of affirmative action, an issue where there are strongly felt opinions, both for and against. Your story of nearly 1,400 words quoted two politicians, one activist and two professors, all of whom favor affirmative action and oppose Prop. 209. A reader just starting to consider the issue would have no reason to believe, based on your article, that there were arguments and organizations with deeply felt and plausible arguments against affirmative action.
You might have interviewed Ward Connerly or someone from the Center for Individual Rights. Certainly an article that permitted William Tierney to say "we need more people participating in higher education" could have rearranged its material to make space for one affirmative action opponent to offer an idea or two for your readers to consider.
William Voegeli
Claremont
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