Letters on torture, Trump’s heart, Obama farewell address
Pompeo needs to reject torture
Christians must remember that our Lord, Himself a victim of torture, commanded us to forgive our enemies. We also remember countless Christians who have been tortured for their faith. From our Scripture and faith tradition, we know torture is wrong.
Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Wichita, has been nominated to be the next CIA Director. While we should congratulate Pompeo on his promotion, it is concerning that he has shown an alarming openness to the use of torture, euphemized as “enhanced interrogation.”
In 2014, the Senate Intelligence Committee released a 500-page report showing that torture doesn’t work. In 2015, led by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a bipartisan 78-21 majority of the Senate voted for a new law that bans torture. McCain, himself a victim, said torture “compromised our values, stained our national honor and did little practical good.”
Torture doesn’t work, it’s illegal, and it’s immoral. I join thousands with the National Religious Campaign Against Torture in asking Pompeo, as a fellow Christian, to please reject the use of torture while he leads the CIA.
Tobias Schlingensiepen, Topeka
Senior Pastor, First Congregational Church
Support Trump
Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly called President-elect Donald Trump “ the most important political story in my lifetime.”
Trump’s remarkable father must have seen the genius in his little boy. Trump is an alpha male, a workaholic who enjoys working “24 hours a day.” He is an outsider, an entrepreneur. Like dad, he enjoys finishing ahead of schedule and ahead of budget.
Trump believes that if you use alcohol or drugs, you will not be able to compete. He also believes that welfare is a disincentive to work.
Insiders complain about his staffing, but he may be the only one who has any fight in him. He is most likely to get things done. He is fighting for about everything this country wants, and he has the attitude and personality to get the job done.
Additionally, Trump wants to change the rules about companies straddling or moving across the border. He is asking companies to bring operations back. Our trade debt last year was almost $800 billion. Trump has been talking to such big name companies as Carrier, Ford, GM, Fiat, Sprint and Toyota, even before President Obama quits.
If you believe that Trump can stop other countries from stealing our companies and taking American jobs, please give him your support.
Richard L. Jones, Derby
Trump’s heart?
Donald Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway has asked that we judge the president-elect by what’s “in his heart,” not what “comes out of his mouth.” There are three ways to judge what’s in a man’s heart.
One is by what others say about him. Since Trump is such a divisive figure, I will leave that alone.
The second is by what he does. Through the years, Trump has used money from his foundation to his personal benefit. He has groped and kissed women without their consent. He and his father refused to rent to people of color in the mid-1970s. He committed fraud through Trump “University.” He hired undocumented Polish workers. He refused to pay workers and contractors who worked for him. This list is incomplete.
The third way to judge a man’s heart is by what he says. Trump has repeatedly denigrated women, immigrants, people of color, and people who disagree with or criticize him. He has called people names and mocked them.
Trump has shown us his heart, and we will judge him by it.
Connie Gilbert, Rose Hill
Up to individuals
In his farewell address Tuesday night, President Obama stressed the need for individuals to participate in electing leaders instead of complaining against the leaders who are elected. Persons such as Rosa Parks, who follow the basic principles in a democracy, set examples for others to follow.
Whether you win or lose is not as important as having hope for the future. Even though Obama’s candidate for the White House did not win, he has more hope now than in 2008.
Prem Bajaj, Wichita
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This story was originally published January 12, 2017 at 5:03 AM with the headline "Letters on torture, Trump’s heart, Obama farewell address."