Put an end to torture

To the Editor:

In reference to Mona Charen's column of Saturday, Dec. 22, 2007, if any Democrats are fighting against torture, I'm for them. If any Republicans are fighting against torture, I'm for them.

This country is the only one I want to live in. Anyone who says waterboarding is not torture is mistaken.

To think anyone in a government position would defend it offends me.

Mona Charen does not know for sure what goes on now, or what went on before, at Guantanamo so I thank Sen. Richard Durbin and any other government official who fights against torture of any human being.

If the CIA destroyed any tapes, I'll bet they had something on them they didn't want an average American or anyone else to see!

Doris Snider

De Soto

State needs a change

To the Editor:

Is there any real doubt that the legal capital of Illinois is Springfield and that it will remain so until such time as the legislature should decide to move it? We have a governor who seems to think the capital is Chicago because that is where he wants to live. He also thinks taxpayers should cover his commuting costs while we maintain an executive mansion and staff for him in Springfield. This situation is a classic example of why we need to amend the state constitution to allow for a recall vote on the position of governor.

While we are amending constitutions it would be nice to have a similar provision in the U. S. constitution for the president. Combining such basic changes with term limits for all legislative positions in both state and federal governments might go a long way toward curing a lot of our government problems.

Bill Schwegman

Carbondale