James Randi is highly respected and once won a MacArthur Foundation "genius award" for his accomplishements.
See [
www.macfound.org]
The award included $500,00.
This was some years ago in 1986 and Randi might have chosen to simply retire and live a comfortable life.
He didn't.
Instead he chose to spend much of the money defending himself against frivolous litigation filed against him by a "psychic" named Uri Geller.
In the end Geller lost, but it was an expensive process for Randi.
See [
www.randi.org]
This is the James Randi Foundation Web site.
Randi has exposed quite a few frauds during his long career as a debunker and many people dislike him. Most often he is disliked because of loyalty to someone he has exposed and/or an area of study and practice he has criticized.
However, in the free marketplace of ideas and in a country that has something called the First Amendment, critics like Randi have the right to speak out and be heard.
The same would apply to QuackWatch, which is run by a medical doctor.
See [
www.quackwatch.org]
QuackWatch is run by Stephen Barrett, M.D. a respected physician.
Barrett like Randi has his enemies.
Barrett seeks to expose quacks, frauds and cons, much like Randi, but in the field of health services.
See [
www.quackwatch.org]
Both Randi and Barrett can be seen as providing a public service, which has often helped to protect the public against fraud and deceipt.
Those critical of these gentleman have the right to speak out, but Randi and Barret likewise have the right to express their ideas.