With regard to Gwynne Dyer's column in the Jan. 20 edition titled "Five years after the Arab Spring," common sense tells us that education is the key to positive progress. Being a good educator, and indeed a good journalist, is not about presenting raw facts but about presenting the truth about the facts and ultimately to empower the informed.

Dyer's article on the viability of democracy in a Muslim world does exactly that. For what is perhaps the most complex political situation of our day, in one brief article, he informs, he enlightens and then encourages nonviolent revolution for the common good.

An excellent and much appreciated achievement. Mr. Dyer and The Japan Times, more of this quality please.

BILL DYKES

KAMAKURA, KANAGAWA PREFECTURE

The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.