THE TIME 25
"I'm tired of role models' coming from the sports arena. If our future is in the hands of one man's putt, it is a bleak future." KIENEN MASON Baltimore, Maryland
I applaud your salute to the most influential [THE TIME 25, April 21]. It is important for the young to see those people like professional golfer Tiger Woods live out their dreams. Most important, it shows that even in a world that seems to many to have a dismal future, it is O.K. to dare to dream. All it takes is a valiant heart and dedication. RASHANNA KIRKLAND Decatur, Georgia
Truly influential people are very few and as much as centuries apart. They do not appear in annual batches of 25. WILLIAM R. SHIELDS Richmond, Virginia
Some sublime selections...Tiger Woods, Albright, Thurman, Gates, Carter, Weil, Powell and others make me smile and say, "Score one" (several, actually) for the visionaries, the dreamers and all those brave souls who will make the next century a time of growth and inclusion and, compared with the 20th century, a thing of beauty. KEN TAUB St. James, New York
Last year's list of the most influential people in America was a terrific idea, but your decision to make it an annual, ever changing list is ridiculous. Really, how influential could last year's people have been if they're not in the Top 25 only one year later? It's more like a list of who is "hot." Your magazine doesn't need this kind of gimmick. TOM ZEIT Minneapolis, Minnesota
One category is missing from your list. We are not financial gurus from Wall Street, but we teach our children the value of a dollar. We are not famous athletes, but we play catch or soccer with our youngsters. You won't find us on the best-seller list or in the latest rock video, but we read to our kids every night and sing silly songs with a three-year-old. We are the legions of parents who have the opportunity to influence our children and ultimately the future. TIM SCHONTA Elmhurst, Illinois
America is influenced by people other than those you perceive from your elitist, myopic perch. America is not just black and white anymore; it is also brown. Your failure to name even one Hispanic is unacceptable. JOSE CLAUDIO SALAZAR Houston
I am so out of the loop, I recognized the names of only six of your silly 25 Most Influential. Last year I recognized eight. But I can't remember who they were, and neither does anyone else. JOYCE TRACKSLER Bedford, New Hampshire
I found your Top 25 to be one of the more disturbing recent articles in your magazine. The very idea that there are people in this country who allow their lives to be influenced by the likes of Rosie O'Donnell, Don Imus and Trent Reznor is frightening. ED KULASA Tinley Park, Illinois
Trent Reznor, one of the most influential People of 1997? Yes, indeed. Heaven does exist. KENNETH KAMINSKI Milwaukee, Wisconsin
I was happy to finally see someone who can support Madeleine Albright outright, but I was disappointed that she was not the most influential person of the year. She's changing the world. LAURA HAYDEN Columbia, Illinois