Kathleen Brown

I noted your June 22 article, “Brown Ties Death Penalty Stance to Upbringing, Faith,” regarding Kathleen Brown’s disclosure that her position on the death penalty was formulated in large part because of her early upbringing as a Roman Catholic. No doubt she must also have been made aware of the church’s position on abortion as well as the sanctity of a marriage blessed by the church. Those of us that adhere to the beliefs of our religion as a whole and not just those positions that are politically advantageous or, as in the case of divorce, the easy way to resolve life’s difficulties, are saddened. I am sure that most practicing Catholics are angry to see Brown stoop to this expediency.

As a lifelong practicing Catholic, I would ask Brown to leave my religion out of this debate and devise a less repugnant deceit.

MARIO A. ROSSI

Seal Beach

I was pleased to see your extensive coverage of Kathleen Brown’s position on the death penalty. As an opponent of capital punishment, I had hoped that Brown would translate her entirely sensible opposition to the barbaric, biased and unnecessary practice into political action. Unfortunately, it appears that moral and capable people like Brown are pressured into submission by those who cling to the unsupportable belief that sanctioned killing of a few dozen murderers here or there is a relevant response to the crime problem.

Let’s lock up murderers for true life--without parole--and save the millions in taxpayers’ money being wasted on these very few capital punishment cases.

I plan to vote for Brown despite her unwillingness to become a politician who truly leads, but I can’t help hoping for more.

MARK LEVITON

Granada Hills