A truth commission is a good idea as far as it goes...

Dear Senator Leahy,

While I think your idea of a truth commission is good, I do not feel it goes far enough. Without looking for "vengeance" we will not accomplish the task of preventing these heinous acts from recurring. I would suggest you refer to Prof. Alfred McCoy's book "A Question of Torture" where he cites previous examples of torture and the cycle that leads to impunity.

I think we Americans know enough of the truth to realize that torture can happen easily without the rule of law. We need to bring the torturers and their implementers to justice and, yes, punish the guilty. Without these actions, we are supporting a Latin America-like impunity that will continue to destroy our country.

So, I will sign the petition to bring up the truth commission, but with the caveat that we need to not sing "kum baya" and go home feeling good, but that we need to punish the guilty to the full extent of the law.

Regards,
Barbara Karn