Are we not yet at a tipping point for gun violence and human-induced climate change? Or will our country continue to ignore the facts and avoid taking action until things get so bad that millions of people truly have to suffer deeply before we act as a society to do the right things?

Too many elected officials continue to both fight off gun control and ignore the fact that we have passed the point of no return in areas related to adverse effects from human induced climate change. Why? Because they receive money from the gun lobby and carbon emitters to support those short-sighted agendas.

It is beyond comprehension that so many elected officials could be so personally selfish and uncaring and yes, just plain stupid and ignorant.

The year to come is a major election year. Without question we’ll have to suffer through all manner of lies, accusations and negative campaign ads as the candidates hunker down into their respective camps to spit out their vitriolic discord toward the other side over every possible platform topic. There are a lot of divisive issues behind which the lines on each side will be drawn as we head into next fall.

But I am asking voters to forget about your right vs. left differences in these other issues and to please focus on voting for candidates who will truly support changes in gun control and initiatives to slow down the effects of human-induced climate change. Any vote for a candidate who fights gun control and denies human-induced climate change is a vote against the future for your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and your family’s generations beyond. Please do not be so caught up in the many other issues of difference in the election that you’ll end up voting for candidates who will do nothing about gun control or the climate. Please.

Tom W. Wishon

Durango