“Chomsky's vindication” [Oct. 5-12] by Brian Lynch highlighted some of the changes that have taken place in public opinion. Chomsky's intellectual achievement in political philosophy is simply an ability to point out the blatantly obvious, which, to most of the masses, comes as a shock because the vast majority of people do not have the time to read periodicals, newspapers, and electronic media regarding world affairs.

The article failed to point out his critics from the right and the left of the traditional political spectrum. For instance, leftists criticize him as a gatekeeper of leftist views; i.e., while adeptly commenting and deconstructing reality as spoon-fed to us through the mainstream media, he too often fails to pursue causality to an effective explanation of current events, especially where evidence exists and amounts to such an extent that it contradicts official explanations. Despite this criticism, it is refreshing to hear that his views are now considered more mainstream as more people recognize the value of political debate.

Public opinion is not necessarily a vindication of Chomsky's views per se, as his views are debatable. It is the debate itself: the growing public awareness of limited energy to supply commodities to a massive global population within the confines of an environmentally acceptable social, political, and economic framework. Ultimately, the opinions and ideas generated by that debate and the public's reaction to them will define what kind of world we create in the future, provided that we choose to change before nature forces change upon us.

> Keith Kennedy / Vancouver