Regarding John Balentine’s recent column, “Bad bills abound in 129th Legislature”:

• On death with dignity, as someone who has incurable cancer, I appreciate the opportunity to select death rather than spend the last six months of my life in an ICU.  You really need to think more about your personal end-of-life care and not mine.

• On abortion (and taxes), as a taxpayer, I help pay for a war in Afghanistan with which I morally disagree. So some taxes might support abortion where you disagree. As an atheist, my belief system is different from yours, and I do not need yours crammed down my throat. An abortion is between a woman, those she wants to have involved, and her medical provider. It is not between the woman, you and your priest.

• You need to look at more pictures of plastic choking the planet instead of demanding more single-use plastic bags. I have a canvas boat bag that has served its purpose in shopping and boating for 40 years.  You should look into one.

• Seventy-four percent of the public favor a ban on hand-held cell phone use while driving, which you oppose. Cell phone use while driving accounts for 1.6 million crashes a year. A ban is a start.

Phil Davies
Falmouth