David Suzuki kicks Sun Media personnel out of debate

ywhtptgtfo

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Source: http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/0...pite-elizabeth-mays-historic-hug-of-reporter/

To those who isn't North American, David Suzuki is one of the leading environmentalists in Canada with a great deal of popular support from other environmentalists. Recently, he denied Sun Media (a far right-wing anti-environmentalism group) personnel access to one of his debates due to his personal dislike of the organization. So despite pleas from our very own Green Party leader, he refused to appear until that reporter was kicked out of the scene.

As a long time support of David Suzuki, I found that to be rather disappointing, as it appears almost as if he's afraid of being challenged. And even if he's not, this is still not the adult way of doing things.
 
He's been doing stuff like that for years. He refuses to debate people who deny anthropological global warming. A few years ago I heard him on my local radio station and the host asked him a question on the subject, Suzuki screamed "the debate is over!" and stormed off.
 
Honestly, I'd kick Sun Media people out too.

I don't mind debating with people of opposing view. but I do mind getting involved with organization who have demonstrated no qualm about extreme creative editing and editorializing of what other people (who agree with me) say. Disagreeing with me, fine. Openly flaunting your disrespect of me? Don't expect me to waste time on you.
 
He's been doing stuff like that for years. He refuses to debate people who deny anthropological global warming. A few years ago I heard him on my local radio station and the host asked him a question on the subject, Suzuki screamed "the debate is over!" and stormed off.
And things like this is just bad for people who are meticulously trying to promote science and environmentalism... to have one of our most respected figures to disgrace us like this.
 
So from the video from the URL in the OP, Sun Media is an even more obnoxious version of Fox News in Canada?

And it's a "disgrace" for him to say no to one of their representatives who asked for an interview?
 
I don't know. The deniers have 24/7 mainstream media access whereas the scientists get maybe ten minutes of screentime per year. Maybe he isn't being polite but maybe he's also trying to get his voice heard for once.
 
I can't say I blame him. When Sun Media comes by, they're not interested in any sort of real journalism.

So from the video from the URL in the OP, Sun Media is an even more obnoxious version of Fox News in Canada?

Effectively yes. They want to be the paragon of right wing thinking in Canada, free market libertarianism and all that. Of course, now that their TV network has starting failing due to nobody caring enough to watch Ezra Levant and Micheal Coren spout nonsense 24/7, they want ol' big government to step in and force consumers to pay for it. So the normal corporate dance.

He's been doing stuff like that for years. He refuses to debate people who deny anthropological global warming.

At this point you can't really blame him. The question really is settled, the dissenters are dependent on cherry picked data to get anywhere at all. And as far as I know, Suzuki isn't involved in the academic side of things, so there's zero reason for him to put up with that BS for the sake of academic openness (which is a great thing, just not in this case).

I mean, we wouldn't get upset if a leading evolutionary scientist refused to deal with some Young Earth Creationist, Moon-landing deniers, or flat-Earthers. Anyone left in those camps is beyond reason.
 
He's been doing stuff like that for years. He refuses to debate people who deny anthropological global warming. A few years ago I heard him on my local radio station and the host asked him a question on the subject, Suzuki screamed "the debate is over!" and stormed off.

Sounds like the proper response. You won't find many biologists sitting down for formal debates about evolution either.

EDIT:

I mean, we wouldn't get upset if a leading evolutionary scientist refused to deal with some Young Earth Creationist, Moon-landing deniers, or flat-Earthers. Anyone left in those camps is beyond reason.

whoops, cross post ><
 
I don't blame him for being frustrated, but when you have an audience, I believe it's better to explain why the anti-AGW crowd is wrong than to petulantly stomp your feet and storm off. It's not that he's going to change the mind of the person he's debating - it's the audience, and Suzuki has a very high profile in this country and can reach a lot of people.
 
I doubt it is frustration which is keeping him from "debating" people like Glenn Beck.

If people aren't convinced by now that AGW isn't some massive conspiracy, I don't think it matters one bit what Suzuki or anybody else might possibly say.
 
I doubt it is frustration which is keeping him from "debating" people like Glenn Beck.

If people aren't convinced by now that AGW isn't some massive conspiracy, I don't think it matters one bit what Suzuki or anybody else might possibly say.

There is always a % of people who's sitting on the fence or having had enough exposure to the topic to care.
 
At this point you can't really blame him. The question really is settled, the dissenters are dependent on cherry picked data to get anywhere at all. And as far as I know, Suzuki isn't involved in the academic side of things, so there's zero reason for him to put up with that BS for the sake of academic openness (which is a great thing, just not in this case).

I mean, we wouldn't get upset if a leading evolutionary scientist refused to deal with some Young Earth Creationist, Moon-landing deniers, or flat-Earthers. Anyone left in those camps is beyond reason.

Anyone who believes the "science is settled" rubbish, doesn't know science at all.
 
There is always a % of people who's sitting on the fence or having had enough exposure to the topic to care.
I seriously doubt that is true. If they are really interested and haven't made up their minds yet, they can discern the views of people like Suzuki while he is discussing the matter with reasonable people.

Is he every going to convince Classical Hero, for instance? What could Suzuki possibly ever say to make him change his mind? Or is Suzuki even going to change others minds if he publicly discusses the topic with people who have the same views as Classical Hero?
 
Then why do you keep operating on people without washing your hands? Didn't you listen to that unpopular person from centuries ago?

AGW used to ironically be that way, much like basic sanitation was in the past. It took decades before it became so accepted.
 
Anyone who believes the "science is settled" rubbish, doesn't know science at all.

Nope. This one is done, crossed off, we know pretty much exactly what is happening.

People are welcome to try and disprove it, and I wish them all the luck in the world, but only if they come at it from an actual science background. You can't of course, because literally all the data agrees on this one, but that's beside the point.

Pundits, and people cherry picking dates to say "oh ho ho, the Earth isn't warming after all" are just regular old idiots who aren't contributing anything to the discussion, and we shouldn't put up with them.
 
Just wait until we have another cold winter, and the pundits at Fox News will be chortling again.


Link to video.

Would any reputable environmental scientist ever appear on Fox and Friends to discuss AGW?
 
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