I wish to add my voice to those in our nation who welcome the recent publication of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee’s Report on Torture.

It is interesting that the publishing of this revealing document occurred on the 66th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations. Article 5 of this declaration states: “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.”

Also, the publishing of the Senate’s document occurred during the week when the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to 17-year-old Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani school girl who defied the Taliban terrorists who sought to silence her because she defended the right of girls to have an education in her country. That right was denied to more than 100 school children massacred in Peshawar last week.

The United States is and has been a leader in helping the world to never forget the torturous actions of the Nazis government of Germany before and during World War II against the Jewish people and other “unacceptable” classes of people. The horror of and disdain we have as a nation for the murderous and torturous actions of other peoples should lead us to never accept the same actions on the part of the CIA or any other institution. Succumbing to the temptation to use torture against our enemies turns us into who our enemies are.

I appreciated the words of op-ed columnist John Crisp, in his column, “Who were we kidding? US use of torture not new,” published in this newspaper on Dec. 16. Crisp refers to Sen. John McCain of Arizona, himself tortured as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, who calls torture “a stain on the honor of our nation.”

We can and must be a better nation.

Fr. Frank Morin, pastor

St. Michael Parish, Augusta

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