Support candidates whose eyes are open

Scientific study after study has reported that human-caused global warming is the greatest threat of our time. However, Trump and most Republicans pretend that human-caused climate change doesn't exist, use fake or irrelevant facts or claim it's a negligible issue.

Their responses remind me of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast from the planet Traal, described in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The Beast assumes that "if you can't see it, it can't see you." So you can avoid disaster by shutting your eyes.

Unlike avoiding the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast, shutting your eyes won't stop climate heating. It still would cause increasing crises in the next decade and will make life unbearable for your children and grandchildren.

This is why Marie Wilson's Dec. 2 article on 6th District congressional candidates should be required reading. She reports that Republican candidates Ives and Kinzler say climate warming isn't important to them or district residents. In contrast, Congressman Sean Casten agrees with all reputable scientific studies that climate warming is the single biggest existential threat we face.

While Ives and Kinzler are keeping their eyes tightly shut, Rep. Casten is working on bills that would increase the nation's green energy storage capacity, would help develop ways to produce materials without emitting carbon, supports other efforts to mitigate climate changes and, along with the U.S. military, seeks ways to protect our nation against the climate-caused catastrophes that already have begun occurring. This month, he is participating with other Democrats in the annual United Nations Climate Change discussions (COP25).

Those who shut their eyes to climate warming along with Ives and Kinzler and other Republican candidates are stealing their children's and grandchildren's future. Please vote to re-elect Sean Casten.

Darold Barnum

Oak Park