Facing Up to the Idea of Death With Dignity

What does the general public have to do to get the Tim Ruttens of this world to face the fact that death with dignity is and can only be about the suffering terminal patient (“Who Will have the Last Word on Death With Dignity?” Oct. 15)?

Everybody is going to die. I know how hard it is to face that fact, but that is what it is all about. Everybody dies.

Every time there is a death in a family, some survivors hurt. Telling a dying patient that he should hang on as long as possible to postpone the hurt of the survivors is a shocking commentary on our society.

How about a little compassion for the patient? He is suffering. He can’t be kept alive much longer. Does he have to cling to life and suffer more because the Tim Ruttens will feel bad about his death?

LEONARD KORNEY

Los Angeles