"Left wing"? It's scientists versus lawyers
No, scientists don't fear open debate. In contrast, the Left does fear it. Global Warming. Intelligent Design.
Tell a Lefty that the Sun is warming Mars and they want to shut you up. Tell that same Lefty that only Intelligent Design explains modern genetically-altered pigs that have been made to produce human growth hormone and they again want to shut you up (even though it's obvious that Man designed the pigs).
The modern Left fears open debate.
That's not scientific.