To the editors:
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One of the unfortunate consequences of litigation is that those involved are always advised not to speak to the media, and so Marj Byler is likely in a position where she is unable to defend herself publicly. The inherent unfairness of these circumstances led me to write this defense, not of Amnesty International but of Marj Byler.
I was once involved in a similar hiring situation with Marj Byler where two evenly matched candidates, one white and one black, made it to the final stage of selection. Behind closed doors I saw Marj eloquently make the case to others involved in the hiring process for the positive value of diversity within the organization, which in that instance ended up tipping the balance in favor of the candidate of color. Marj Byler persistently challenged the operating assumption of many that candidates with qualifications more like their own were necessarily better candidates.
New York, New York
