Readers React: Robert Smith could have bought a $91-million rabbit. He helped 400 students instead

To the editor: I have always believed there are more good, generous people in this world than self-serving individuals; otherwise as a species, we would not have survived. A case in point is the amazing gift of paying off the student loans of the 2019 graduating class of Morehouse College by Robert F. Smith, chief executive of Vista Equity Partners.

In stark comparison, Robert Mnuchin, father of U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, recently paid $91 million for a metal art piece shaped like a rabbit by Jeff Koons. What good that $91 million could have done for young, old or in-between people whose lives can be changed by acts of kindness.

We need more Robert F. Smiths and fewer people who think they can impress the world by spending so much on art.

Eileen Blankenhorn, Valencia

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To the editor: The world needs more people like Smith, the tech investor who, after giving the commencement speech at Morehouse College on Sunday, announced he would cover the student loans for the class of 2019. That gift is worth roughly $40 million and means nearly 400 students won’t be saddled with student loan debt.

I didn’t know who Smith was, so I did some research and discovered he not only is a smart guy when it comes to business, but also a man who knows how to use his money for good.

His gift will help these young people launch their careers, hopefully save money for a house and inspire others to act in the same manner.

Ron Epstein, Woodland Hills

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