Sonny Bono

Regarding the sad death of Sonny Bono and the revelation that he had a secret problem with addiction (Nov. 20), perhaps he would be alive now if he could have been more open about the problem.

In contrast to his youthful persona, Bono showed his intelligence and competence as a congressman, powers he could have brought to bear on his problem, if he did not have to hide from the hysterical zero-tolerance regime. In a climate of compassion, he could have sought help, possibly avoiding his collision with the reality of our shame-based attitude toward drugs.

No amount of punishment and prison is going to solve the real problem, and we now have one of the world’s highest incarceration rates, mostly for drug “crimes.”

JIM ROSENFIELD

Culver City

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Never did I think that I would come to the defense of Sonny Bono. For 30 years the poor guy suffers pain from a bad back, then he center punches a tree and is killed. Then his wife disses him in death. What was he supposed to do about his bad back for 30 years?

PHILLIP SHELTON

Redondo Beach

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So Bono may have been on drugs when he died. And his mood swings were so bad his wife almost left him. So much for the pundits who called him an American hero and the incarnation of the Founding Fathers.

ROBERT SCHMIDT

Culver City