Jesse Ventura

Re “Do Ventura’s Swipes Put Him Down for the Count? Don’t Bet on It,” Commentary, Oct. 6:

Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura says he wants to come back in his next life as a 38DD bra. His fantasy is my explanation. I have a drawer full of the damn things, which in their utilitarian ugliness have for the last four decades twisted, stretched, pulled, poked and tormented my upper torso with all the meanness of a large, bald-headed wrestler.

MARY ALICE ALTORFER

Carpinteria

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I am sure Lawrence Grobel’s commentary was intended to show similarities in the viewpoints of Ventura and James Michener, but in fact he illustrates a big difference. Michener’s comments express a thinking man’s concern about religion’s involvement in government, a concern that even a “weak-minded” religious fanatic such as myself can share.

Compare this to the comments of Ventura, who would be well advised to avoid further interviews until doctors have a chance to reconnect his tongue with his brain.

TOM WALKER

Costa Mesa

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When Ventura sounds off at what he deems is religion, he is really educating us about himself. I take it he thinks religion comes from television, or perhaps from well-intended door-to-door spiritual peddlers. Has Ventura studied the phenomena of world religions? Has he looked back and grasped some of their meanings? Has he studied comparative mythology and noted the similarities between different belief systems?

I venture he has a cursory knowledge based on a very narrow strip of exploitative 20th century demagogues, perhaps coupled with the odd friendly chat with the occasional zealot. The danger is not that Ventura believes this or that. The danger is he bases sweeping generalizations on matters he hasn’t done any real study on. When grown men command the spotlight and can only bark like incendiary carnies, what sort of circus must we endure?

FRANK ARMSTRONG

Los Angeles