Unfinished Business

In “The Unfinished Business of Armand Hammer” ( June 7, by Donald Woutat), you focused on Dr. Hammer’s “perceived penchant for self-promotion” and his supposed quest for the Nobel Peace Prize. If that is indeed his motivation for international philanthropy, citizen diplomacy and massive contribution to the arts, I say: Let’s encourage him and anyone else like him. If someone rescues me from a burning building because they want their name in the paper, I’ll not criticize their penchant for self-promotion.

Vanna White has probably received many more column inches of attention than Hammer in the past two years, and while their contributions are hardly comparable, neither deserves to be criticized. Ms. White is evidently giving a vast segment of the public what they want (what that is, I have no idea); Hammer’s contributions have definitely changed and improved the world.

Thomas H. Justin

Newport Beach