Letters: Dying with dignity -- but not in California

Re “‘Barbaric’ death, and a plea,” Column, Aug. 5

Steve Lopez gives us another painful example of man’s inhumanity to man. It’s a shame California can’t join Oregon, Washington and Montana in legalizing a more civilized and humane manner for ending our lives.

As Lopez points out, progress is hindered mostly by religious organizations, primarily the Roman Catholic Church. The idea that suffering is noble is almost solely a religious contention, and when inflicted on everybody, it involves a clear violation of our Constitution’s separation of church and state. In its sadistic spirit, it is contrary to our “pursuit of happiness.”

I strongly hope that Lopez’s persistent attacks on this official barbarity yield a positive result for California — so that we don’t have to move to Oregon to die.

Shelley Martin

San Pedro

ALSO:

Letters: America’s gun insanity

Letters: Faith didn’t get us to Mars

Letters: Drones, coming to a sky near you