Actress Daryl Hannah participates in a rally against fracking on federal land, in front of the White House August 22, 2013 in Washington, DC.
The noise level created by the debate over fracking in the US is reaching unprecedented levels. It seems everyone has a view on the controversial oil and gas development technology, some informed and many less so. A new video series features celebrities asking President Obama and several state leaders to ban the practice outright, but adds little value to the conversation.
“Celebrities including Marisa Tomei, Darren Criss, Lance Bass, Daryl Hannah, Amy Smart, Hayden Panettiere and Wilmer Valderrama star in the videos calling out President Obama and governors Jerry Brown of California, Andrew Cuomo of New York and John Hickenlooper of Colorado for not banning fracking.” – Huffington Post
In response, America’s Natural Gas Alliance asks, “Do We Want Celebrities Making the Tough Decisions About Energy?”
“With the fixation by Huffington Post and others on celebrities involved in energy activism, readers must think that opposition to fracking is a universally held position among those with left-of-center political beliefs. The truth is, however, that view could not be further from reality.
Contrary to what people might think, based on some of the more breathless coverage of Hollywood’s elite on energy issues, there are numerous Democrats, including President Obama, who support fracking and the benefits it will bring.”
America’s Natural Gas Alliance clearly has their own agenda and should not be the only source of information people turn to on issues related to US energy development – and fracking specifically – but presenting views held by US leaders and decision makers certainly adds at least a shred of value to the national discourse.
Unfortunately, the sad truth is celebrities get attention whether they present well-constructed, reasoned, fact-based arguments or just act silly on camera saying things like “fracking pollutes our oceans.”
By late yesterday afternoon, the celebrity videos had been viewed over 10,000 times on You Tube, while the video featuring elected officials including the president had been seen less than 1,000 times.
This debate is important and needs to continue, but let’s hope there is more science-based research and substantive discourse and less uninformed Hollywood fluff driving decisions about the nation’s energy future.
Celebrities: Constructive Addition to the Fracking Conversation?
By Jared Anderson on November 22, 2013 at 12:00 PMActress Daryl Hannah participates in a rally against fracking on federal land, in front of the White House August 22, 2013 in Washington, DC.
The noise level created by the debate over fracking in the US is reaching unprecedented levels. It seems everyone has a view on the controversial oil and gas development technology, some informed and many less so. A new video series features celebrities asking President Obama and several state leaders to ban the practice outright, but adds little value to the conversation.
In response, America’s Natural Gas Alliance asks, “Do We Want Celebrities Making the Tough Decisions About Energy?”
America’s Natural Gas Alliance clearly has their own agenda and should not be the only source of information people turn to on issues related to US energy development – and fracking specifically – but presenting views held by US leaders and decision makers certainly adds at least a shred of value to the national discourse.
Unfortunately, the sad truth is celebrities get attention whether they present well-constructed, reasoned, fact-based arguments or just act silly on camera saying things like “fracking pollutes our oceans.”
By late yesterday afternoon, the celebrity videos had been viewed over 10,000 times on You Tube, while the video featuring elected officials including the president had been seen less than 1,000 times.
This debate is important and needs to continue, but let’s hope there is more science-based research and substantive discourse and less uninformed Hollywood fluff driving decisions about the nation’s energy future.
Topics: Americas Natural Gas Alliance, ANGA, Celebrities, Comment, Daryl Hannah, Fracking, Hydraulic Fracturing, Natural Gas, Natural Gas Development, Oil