Fear and Ignorance or Understanding and Reality

I have not blogged here about the situation in Japan because, unlike Rahm Emmanuel, I don’t believe that a good crisis is a terrible thing to waste. But, I was struck in reading today’s Albuquerque Journal by the incredible difference between Jonah Goldberg and Eugene Robinson in their views on the tsunami and subsequent nuclear crisis in Japan.

Goldberg recognizes that the situation in Japan is serious and sympathizes with the victims of the tragedy. But, he understands that every form of energy — just as nearly every human action — has some negative consequences. But, wind and solar are simply not capable of producing enough power to replace nuclear. We could use coal and other fossil fuels, but if global warming is real, that could be an even bigger problem. Goldberg grasps that there are no easy answers.

Robinson, on the other hand, seems to demand easy answers but is unable to come up with them, so he just sows fear. While acknowledging the same facts as Goldberg, Robinson asks a lot of questions that remain unanswerable at this point. Ultimately, he seems to demand total security which, as we know in this uncertain world, is simply not possible.

The conservative/free market side again projects calmness and rationality in the face of a threat while the left spreads fear…unfortunately, this is far too common.