I hear you. But please know that the fetal stem-cell research proponents are deliberately confusing the issue, so people believe that fetal stem-cell research is necessary and where all the promise lies. The truth is that adult stem-cell research is where nearly all the breakthroughs have been, and the opponents of fetal stem-cell research have been working tirelessly to distinguish that adult stem-cell research is very promising, whereas fetal stem-cell research is unnecessary and barbaric.
I'm an old dude...back in my day, conservatism meant honesty, and it meant that we held positions because we believed they were right and we believed we could defend them.
But now, people are calling themselves conservatives yet trying to hard to distort the discussion and debate, rather than address the facts honestly.
The truth is that adult stem-cell research is where nearly all the breakthroughs have been
Of course, that's where nearly of the advanced research has been. And the advanced in adult-cell research relied upon things learned from embryonic-cell research--techniques because that wouldn't have been available without embryonic research.
[...] and the opponents of fetal stem-cell research have been working tirelessly to distinguish that adult stem-cell research is very promising
If they focused on that, I'd have no problem with them.
whereas fetal stem-cell research is unnecessary and barbaric.
See...right there, you are repeating two distortions of the opponents. I don't know of a single place in the entire world that is working with fetal stem-cells rather than either adult or embryonic/blastocystic-derived lines. That is, they are not experimenting on cells from fetuses--but rather from embryos that are so early they wouldn't have even been implanted in the uterus even if they had been fertilized in a woman's body.
In fact, "embryo" gives many people the wrong impression. The actual "embryo" is a blastocyst--only a few days "old" (after fertilization). Here it is, in color (the green part is the part that would grow into a fetus), and black and white...
Also, little of the research is being done on actual cells from embryos, especially in the US. The first clinical study approved for human trials in the US, for example, is using a line from long, long ago.
There is likely much greater promise with induced pluripotent methods, but two things are important to note--1) without embryonic research, we wouldn't have gotten there, 2) because of the restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research, we're not nearly as far along and don't know yet what might be capable, and 3) no embryos need to be killed for this research--it can continue by using existing lines and generating lines from embryos being destroyed every day anyway.
I understand that. But I think that some pro lifers don’t fully understand that there are some stem cell researching going on that are beneficial that harm no one. I also posted my original link for anyone who may have an interest in stem cell research that has actually been working that is self donated.
I am not against pro lifers, Ii am not for abortion either.
I am however for stem cell research done is some fashions that can be very useful and am just encouraging people to know that treatments are now becoming available.
Thanks for not jumping on me and just making a point in a very civil manner. I appreciate that. I think that is what we all come here for. Rational discussions and knowledge. Even a bit of hope sometimes, which I was trying to give.