To the Editors of The Crimson:

It is condescending for Matthew H. Joseph ("Questioning Jesse's Credentials," 4/16) to ask, regarding Mr. Jackson, "Why does he think he deserves to be President?", and to assume that Mr. Jackson should have held some major elected office in order to be a serious contender for the Presidency.

Anyone can run for President. Whoever wins the election deserves to hold the office.

It is unreasonable at this time to expect a Black leader to have been "governor, president, vice president, U.S. senator or U.S. representative" before running for U.S. President.

Should Mr. Jackson wait for the day when such offices would be as open to himself and other Black people as they are to Joseph's notion of a qualified candidate, he'd be six feet under before he ever got a stab at the Presidency.

Indeed, the fact that Mr. Jackson is running for President, and helping to open the political system, means the existence such `qualified' (Black) candidates might be a possibility for the future.

Jackson's qualifications cannot be determined by a comparison with typical past candidates' cases. His personal achievements as an active social leader, who has significantly influenced the political system, make him better qualified than many a former senator. Glenn Orenstein '88