Should Humans Seek Out Extra Terrestrials?

British scientist Steven Hawking says that aliens may exist but that we shouldn't seek out contact with them.  "If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans,"said Hawking.
Personally I think the situation could go either way.  If aliens came here they could be looking for resources.  Maybe their home planet ran out of resources and they came in search of new and better ones.  Maybe they are just like always wondering, what if there is other intelligent life out there?  Maybe they are already here and we just don't realize it.  Skeptic or not, it is something to think on.
To find out more of what Hawking thinks on the subject check out this article.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100425/sc_afp/scienceastronomyextraterrestrialhawking