To the editor:

Change is uncomfortable for people, including managers and politicians who would probably endorse that observation. Society would be ill-served and disappointed, however, if business and political leaders blindly followed past practices. The people look to them to do the right thing and chart new avenues toward positive change. Given the right cues, the vast majority of us will move to accept change, but we often get hung up debating what we all consider as “positive” change. The idea of a global village where all work for a common good represents positive change for humanity, yet leaders of some countries don’t agree on what constitutes our responsibility to humanity as a whole, as it is determined by the majority. This tends to thwart the democratic process of the global village concept and, in the end, brings harm to all.

There are spokespersons on both sides of the debate over global warming and responsibilities of individual nations. Differences show no sign of quick resolution, as the stakes are large and decisions will go a long way in defining the direction of nations and the world community in the remainder of the 21st century and far beyond.

But let’s insist that our leaders, especially those that like to go about thumping their chests and praising democracy, learn to live up to the basic idea behind democracy themselves.

Les Blevins,

Lawrence