Invasion of the enviro-lites

NASA scientist James Hansen wants the attention that a protest (along with actress Daryl Hannah and 28 others) in front of Massey Energy in Charleston W. Va. brings, but he doesn’t want a real debate.

Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship offered to debate Hansen about the environmental impacts of coal mining on mountaintops. But noooooooo, Hansen wouldn’t do that. He would agree only to participate in a public discussion, “but not an adversarial debate.”

Hansen apparently doesn’t want the rigors required by a real debate. That would require preparation, knowledge, supporting facts, well-established and articulated positions. Instead, he apparently wants a syrupy, enviro-lite discussion void of requirements that tough questions be answered and extremist environmental positions be supported -- an event where he can get the crowd on his side even if the truth is not.