Farrakhan

* In the latest effort to redeem a bigot, Donna Britt attempts to transform Louis Farrakhan into a civil rights leader (Commentary, Aug. 10). Trouble is, it goes against type.

Britt calls Farrakhan’s plan to incorporate various strands of black civil rights leaders and thinkers in the march as “eloquent and visionary� and then feigns surprise that Farrakhan can be paranoiac about the participation of women in his million-man march on Washington.

Anyone who has observed Farrakhan over the years knows that he trades in paranoia. He is a demagogue with a well-documented record of spinning conspiratorial notions about Jews, Christians, whites, gays, Arabs, and on and on.

But Farrakhan’s racism doesn’t matter to Britt because the march is the thing and “who else� but Farrakhan could pull it off.

One wonders when the Britts of the world will learn that the participation of a Louis Farrakhan won’t endow the march with the higher purpose she sees as its goal, rather his bigotry will inevitably taint all who join their name with his.

DAVID A. LEHRER, Regional Director

Anti-Defamation League, Los Angeles