It sure didn’t take long for the climate deniers and fossil fuel barons to jump all over Pope Francis’ letter on climate and the earth with Bush and Santorum leading the pathetic charge. For whose benefit are these political and industry leaders railing against common sense? Why the wealthy, of course – those who can continue to live in their protected communities and have the resources to ensure that climate degradation stays away from their front doors – for now anyway.

The pope is not a scientist, nor does he claim or pretend to be. But he is an intelligent individual whose concerns lie with all of humanity. He is a Jesuit priest who lives the Jesuit charism of a “preferential option for the poor” – those among us who, as he so rightly indicates, lack the power to influence policy and protect the livelihoods of their families and communities, the communities most likely to bear the brunt of continuing environmental degradation.

The pope sets an important model for all of us to look at all sides of an issue such as climate change, to evaluate the science carefully, and speak “truth to power.” He models for us the importance of evaluating the sources of statements on all kinds of social issues. Oil is big money. Too many US congressional reps are being supported heavily by big oil money and end up supporting these interests rather than the interests of the people they are supposed to be serving. He models for us the courage to speak out and take the punches perpetrated by the right-wing backlash and other self-interested individuals.

Imagine a world in which politicians took it upon themselves to learn of the struggles of all of their constituents and listened with equal reverence and openness to independent analyses and voices of citizens across the economic strata. Who, as Francis asks , will be the real leaders who will take the necessary steps to show respect for the earth and all her inhabitants and take the necessary action for a promising future that incorporates alternative technologies to fuel economic growth while also supporting the greening of our planet, not its browning and rotting? Please stand up!