Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

An open letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein

Dear Mrs. Feinstein,

I’m outraged to hear that you will support a candidate for Attorney General who can’t say that “waterboarding” is torture and prohibited by our Constitution. Please reconsider; you are first a civilized human of the 21st Century and second a Senator.

It’s obvious that “waterboarding” is torture, prohibited by all religions and standards of morality and our democratic ideal to support human rights everywhere.

Our use of torture, or even suspicion of it, is rocket fuel for hate and violence against us, and for disgust and loss of friendship from our allies.

Torture can’t be justified by legal definitions of self-defense. It is motivated by our worst instincts; irrational fear, hate, revenge or by social pressure from others acting on their worst instinct. Three hundred years ago the British Navy used “keel-hauling” to enforce obedience. If torture is needed now for our defense, and we use it, we will lose the battle and our soul.

Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty or give me death,” which could be reworded “I will not give up my humane ideals.”

Have courage, Dianne, be humane, save our soul.

Eric B. Greenfield

 

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