Floral and Fauna, assisted suicide, income inequality
It’s also about the floral and fauna
Re “Public safety is paramount on river parkway” (Editorials, Sept. 18): In The Bee’s editorial the board failed to mention one of the most important aspects of our beloved American River Parkway, which is the flora and fauna.
We should be concerned with protecting the plants and animals that make up our parkway. They are the reason our parkway is so special. Fire burns the habitat that is home to the deer, coyotes, snowy egret and many more. We need to stop the parkway fires for the sake of all of the birds and animals that make our parkway their home.
George Nyberg, Sacramento Save the American River Association
Assisted suicide is not wrong
Re “Governor surely knows: Assisted suicide is wrong” (Viewpoints, Ben Boychuk, Sept. 18): Assisted suicide is not wrong. Making the terminally ill suffer through an agonizing death is wrong.
Just because we, or our religion, believe people should not commit suicide, does not make it wrong. Imposing our beliefs on others is wrong. If we were in their shoe, we too might choose to die over continuing to suffer. But, we will never know until we are in that situation.
Yes, today, we can commit suicide, but it must be a horrible experience for all those involved including the family. It is not dying with dignity. And, that is what the proponents of this law are requesting – the ability to die with dignity surrounded by family and friends in a loving environment. We will all die, and we should be able to do it with dignity.
Robert Rice, Sacramento
What about income inequality?
Re “Bills that should never become law” (Editorials, Sept. 17): The Sacramento Bee has run numerous editorials and articles depicting the income inequality in this country and the loss of living wages jobs. Now The Bee’s editorial board comes out in support of a taxpayer-supported entity, The University of California, that is notoriously top-heavy in administration with expensive pensions and desires to replace employees who earn a living wage and benefits with outsourced employees. I’m confused.
Instead of advocating a race to the bottom for hourly wage employees, The Bee’s editorial board might begin a stronger push for living wages for all. This state and country will not succeed with low-paid workers. This attitude will only lead to social unrest. Why would someone with very little to lose continue to pledge allegiance to a country that doesn’t take care of its own?
Michael Santos, Antelope
Sanders’ socialism would be disaster
Re “Sanders lags in California, but some ‘feel the Bern’ ” (Insight, Sept. 16): The fact that socialist Bernie Sanders can attract more than 10 people to his candidacy suggests the degree to which the dumbing down of America has progressed.
What Sanders seeks to impose on this country is a system of centralized control and concentrated power. For our Founding Fathers, the leftward drift of the Democratic Party would be an anathema to their dedication of power to the citizenry, not to an unaccountable bureaucracy and politicians.
Socialism is not some utopia awaiting its chance on the world stage. It’s here, now. Sanders tells us he can make the system work. That mentality unmasks the core of the socialists’ mindset – total contempt for the intelligence of the electorate.
Edward Khachadourian, Roseville
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This story was originally published September 20, 2015 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Floral and Fauna, assisted suicide, income inequality."