In Marty Rochester‘s column, “Oy Vey: The excesses of identity politics (March 24),” he criticizes President Biden for picking a diverse cabinet with the insinuation that because it is diverse, it is not the best cabinet he could have picked.  

In that he provides no factual basis for these not being the most capable candidates, the only conclusion  I can draw as to why he thinks they are not the best candidates, is because of their diversity. 

What does that say about him?

Kenneth Cohen, Creve Coeur

I would like to compliment the Jewish Light on publishing articles by Professor Marty Rochester. These well-written highly rational discussions provide a good balance to the fact-free emotional diatribes we frequently see in other articles or letters you choose to publish.

I was particularly taken by his recent article (March 24) decrying the selection of cabinet and thousands of other appointments (to say nothing of a vice president)  based on ethnic or other criteria rather than provable qualifications. Rochester’s analogy to getting on an airplane, the crew of which had been selected based on political correctness rather than competency, was particularly telling. It is a dangerous and difficult world with domestic and international problems which need to be addressed by the best qualified people to achieve solutions beneficial to our nation. Instead, we see those who simply check the diversity-biased identity boxes required by Democrat pressure groups.

I’m reminded of an interview conducted with Jesse Jackson in the early years of the President George W. Bush administration, wherein he criticized the president for not appointing a sufficient number of black Americans. When it was pointed out to Jackson that President Bush had  in fact appointed a number of such people to high positions — Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and many others — Jackson replied that they should not be factored in, as they had been selected based on merit. The Biden administration need not worry that they will be accused of doing the same.

Steve Finkel, Creve Coeur