Ted Turner

* I couldn’t be sure if James Pinkerton’s “Turner in 2000: You Won’t Be Bored” (Commentary, Nov. 17) was serious or tongue-in-cheek, but I was surprised by his assertion that Ted Turner had developed “a social conscience.”

This is not a phrase I would use for a man who owns a sports team [the Atlanta Braves] that uses a racial slur as a name and celebrates and flaunts images and chants which are offensive to Native Americans, our nation’s oldest ethnic group. Despite repeated statements from various Native American groups that these stereotypes denigrate and degrade their peoples, their culture and their heritage, Turner shows no interest in respecting their sensibilities, apparently because doing so would not make him richer.

BRIAN DALTON

Santa Barbara

*

Would I vote for Turner for president just because he’s a good businessman, has a social conscience undistorted by religious or political affections, is beholden to no PAC or special interest and has the good sense to hire experts in areas about which he knows little? You bet your bippie!

Oh, and he’s not Rupert Murdoch!

ALLAN RABINOWITZ

Los Angeles

*

Right! And Hanoi Jane is the first lady? Who’s smoking what?

BILL GOURLAY

Westlake Village

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So Turner now wants to run for president? There’s already a slapstick comedy out on video starring that other cable guy, Jim Carrey. The only White House Turner will see is his Montana ranch buried under six feet of winter snow.

MIKE NALLY

Anaheim