Giving editorial space to the rants of M.D. Harmon and Joseph Reisert must appeal to some of your readers, but not to me. They exude the privileged old white guy, racist slant that makes me want either to puke or wash my hands — or both.

They believe that racism is a thing of the past (it’s not) and that torture is permissible (it never is). To me they lack the basic morals of a concerned, compassionate person in the 21st century. They hold on to their outdated ideas from an age that has long passed.

All three letters in the newspaper on Dec. 29, taking these men to task were dead on. John R. Merrill, Frank O’Hara and John McAuley spoke clear words in perfect rebuttal to torture and racism.

Before I retired, I told my colleagues that President George W. Bush would be impeached because of the torture revealed under his administration. I was wrong. I placed great hope in President Barack Obama that he was going to hold people accountable. That was hope misplaced.

I wrote to Sen. Angus King and Sen. Susan Collins to tell them to hold people accountable when the congressional report on torture came out. I have had no reply.

Richard Clement

Pittston