STEPHEN Lewis's article about contracts between doctors and self-destructive patients produced the predictable response (June 9).

What a total bunch of selfish bozos we are in the West. "It's my right 'cos I pay for it" screams the driver, having travelled 500 metres to drop two little overweight blots off at school, not seeing the unnecessary road space taken up and the next coffin nail get hammered into the planet's climate system.

"I work hard for what I've got" growls the consumption junkie who doesn't know what hard work is - try working 13 hours a day on a scorched farm for a handful of corn.

So the indefensible is defended yet again while the politicians wring their hands and mealy mouth their promises on aid that they don't intend to keep (let's just have a nice war to give Mr and Mrs Average-Brit something to watch on their telly).

I'm with the doctors. Why waste time trying to prolong the life of someone hell-bent on self-destruction?

Graham Horne,

Beech Avenue,

Bishopthorpe, York.

Updated: 11:35 Thursday, June 12, 2003