Nasa has dropped from its mission statement it's charge to "understand
and protect our home planet." The question is whether its new emphasis on space exploration means the Bush Administraiton thinks it's already too late to "protect our home planet," or whether it just thinks colonizing space is more important than keeping Earth habitable for the rest of us.
Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.
There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.
