Letter: Climate Change should be a unifying issue

I’m proud, as I’m sure all Americans are, to see our majority-elected President join with the leaders of 150 other nations in Paris who are gathering in defiance of the fear terrorists (and others) have attempted to spread globally.

President Barack Obama and many other leaders recognize the need to combat the global threat that has no borders, no ideology and cannot be bombed away. Their unity in the face of terror — and for our common good — will certainly give us hope for our country and our planet.

By now the vast majority of humanity recognizes that no matter how different we all believe ourselves to be, we all share the common denominator of living on the same planet. It’s a simple fact that no one can deny.

Like you, I am relieved that when it comes right down to it, we in the U.s. can all put aside our trivial, invented political arguments and focus on what really matters — ensuring our survival and the survival of future generations. It is obvious that human-caused climate change threatens our very existence. It is obvious that action is long over due.

It is good to see that none of the media talking heads or any politician has politicized this critical issue for network ratings or political gain — it would be so self destructive if human-caused climate change became a political rather than a scientific issue. Thankfully, we are all in tune with the need for unity on this critical issue.

Your great-great-grandchildren will someday look back at this moment in U.S. and global history and proudly say, “My relatives fought in that war — and they were part of the solution that led us to victory and helped save humanity.” They will thank you for that.

And thanks to all our politicians who put the needs of the people above the needs of their party or their big money corporate sponsors.

Without their far-sighted, intelligent and apolitical leadership, we will surely fail.

Norbert Chaudhary,

Ketchikan