Death with dignity part of life well lived
Re: the Dec. 23 article “Council asks Legislature to consider ‘aid in dying.’”
Thank you to Tucson Councilman Steve Kozachik and Vice Mayor Karin Uhlich who brought forth the issue “death with dignity.” Thanks also to the council for unanimously supporting the recommendation to the Arizona Legislature.
Every day, patients and doctors are making decisions in regard to surgery and other medical treatments to address quality of life and, yes, even length of life.
People should be supported in their right to live and also in their right to die. It should be a choice, an option available to all in our “free” society.
There is life and there is existence. Our duty to ourselves and to others is to enhance years of life and not turn those years into existence. Death with dignity is part of a life well lived.
Diane Uhl
Oro Valley
Another case solved by officer’s work
Re: the Dec. 27 article “Gacy probe clears 11 unrelated cold cases.”
Regarding the article about Chicago police Sgt. Jason Moran and the unrelated cold cases he solved, Sgt. Moran also solved a mystery in my family. I had a cousin in Chicago who disappeared about the same time John Wayne Gacy was active.
My cousin fit the profile of the other Gacy victims, a young man about 22 and an occasional construction worker. At the time of his disappearance, he was attending college in Wisconsin.
I read several years ago that the Chicago police were reopening the Gacy case and with new DNA technology, hoped to identify the remaining victims.
I contacted Sgt. Moran and sent him the information I had on my cousin and offered a DNA sample. Several months later, he contacted me with the good news that my missing cousin was alive and well and living in Las Vegas.
I was sorry that his parents, my aunt and uncle, were not alive to hear this good news.
Toni Kane
Oro Valley
Many seniors support education
Re: the Dec. 28 letter “You want fairness? Get out of education.”
A Dec. 28 letter on education said, “This state has a very large senior citizen population which votes down every override ...” This contradicts my 15-year residency in SaddleBrooke and my past five years at Splendido, where seniors are retired professionals who are very supportive of local education measures.
In SaddleBrooke, residents campaigned to pass measures that benefited schools, and many volunteered as mentors at schools.
Not content to stop there, a small group founded the Golden Goose Thrift Shop to assist SaddleBrooke Outreach in providing extra school equipment such as computers, raising money for scholarships, and maintaining a Kids Clothes Closet to help students in need.
At Splendido I am aware that residents support education through votes and contributions, and each year donate a considerable amount to award scholarships to employees and their family members. I am proud to be an education-supportive senior.
Barbara Tidyman
Oro Valley
Battling buffelgrass good exercise
Re: the Dec. 29 letter “No winning the battle against litter.”
To the letter writers on Naranja Drive who gave up picking up trash, I say “Please don’t give up!” You really do make a difference and you are not alone in your struggle.
I clean up North Silverbell Road north of Del Cerro of trash and buffelgrass. Yes, it is a losing battle with the trash, but I do it because of the personal satisfaction of seeing a stretch of desert clean, and it is better and cheaper exercise than going to a gym. Think of it as volunteer job security. There are many of us buffelgrass and trash haters out there all over the Tucson metro area.
Melanie Schaffner
Northwest side
