Letter: Pence wrong to support torture

It was with dismay and dread that I read the Washington Post's report in The Gazette that vice-president-elect Mike Pence said on 'Face the Nation” he and president-elect Donald Trump are interested in reinstating the form of torture known as waterboarding and possibly even more extreme measures of torture ('Pence doesn't rule out waterboarding in Trump presidency,” Nov. 21). For a man who has repeatedly said that he identifies as a Christian first and foremost, this is blatant hypocrisy.

If the Trump team is opposed to groups like ISIS, who engage in torture, why descend to their same level of behavior? This is not the way to lead our nation or the world.

In addition, there is no scientific evidence that torture as a technique to obtain information is useful. But scientific evidence in regard to climate change or other problems facing our country does not appear to be part of the Trump-Pence lexicon. I fear that rhetoric based on ignorance, fear, and misinformation heard during the campaign will continue into the Trump presidency.

Thank you, Sen. John McCain, for speaking out against torture now and in the past, despite insults directed at you by our president-elect. You are a credit to the Republican Party and a hero for our country.

Selma Brigham

Cedar Rapids