from
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=22425

"Our species hasn't been around long enough to have experienced a cataclysmic extinction event."

While we're not extinct, there have been several damned close calls. If Griffin owned a copy of "Man and Impact in the Americas", he could read the details.

"But they will occur again, whether we are ready for them or not."

Yep. And we are not ready, and its a part of the NASA Adminstrator's job to make sure that we are.

"So, in the end, human expansion into our solar system is fundamentally about the survival of the species,

Yep.

"about ensuring better odds for our survival through the promulgation of our species."

NO. This is the same Mars Society BS rationalization we been handed for the last several years. The expansion in space is necesary for the survival of our species here on planet Earth. If Mike wants to fly a few people to Mars for a short stay, that will do nothing to help protect the vast numbers here from impact.

"There is no more fundamental measure of "security"."

Yep. And no more fundamental measure of intelligence.