Posted on 12/04/2001 12:51:38 PM PST by conservativesoutherner
http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com -- A company has just announced that it has managed to clone human embryos for the purposes of extracting stem cells.
Supporters of the research say the development could hasten the production of medical miracles -- new nerves for people paralyzed by spinal injuries; the reversal of such debilitating and heartbreaking diseases as Parkinson's, Alzheimers and ALS.
Stem cells have the ability to turn themselves into any body part -- and the theory is that embryonic stem cells are far more versatile than adult stem cells. But this is all theory -- and there's some evidence that adult cells -- extracted from living grown-ups -- are evey bit as good as any other kind.
Here's my reservation about the work: It turns life into a commodity, to be sold, purchased and cranked out in factories, and it thereby numbs people to the sacredness of each and every human soul. So forgive me if I don't applaud the breakthrough, at least not yet.
I'm going to be using my hands praying it doesn't come back to haunt us.
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White house political guru Karl Rove went on a mission recently to Hollywood, hoping to get tinseltown on board for a cinematic assault on terror. Studio chieftans refused to make promises about content, but they did agree to send big-time stars on USO tours, tape some red-white and blue public service announcements, and send pro-American messages to countries around the world -- taping the greetings in the local languages.
But even though the impressarios of the silver screen refused to commit themmselves to overt shows of patriotism, count on a resurgence of movies that celebrate the military, the political classes -- and, gasp, the CIA. There's a simple reason: The world has reminded us why security matters, and how fragile our safety can be. We no longer seek heros among the ranks of rock stars, lawyers or mafiosi. We look to our neighbors, our families -- even ourselves.
If Hollywood is smart, it'll start riding that wave soon. I'd sure go to see a film titled "Let's roll."
I would love to know why more pro-lifers don't put the onus on supporters of embryonic research by asking whether they have any qualms about about running headlong into this ethical briar patch seemingly without having thought it through. Snow makes the best point- do they care that they will be treating human life like the equivalent of an everyday item being sold on the Home Shopping Club? What, are we going to have a Labor Day Sale on fetuses like we do for towels? Perhaps we could have coupons offering people fabulous deals: "for every purchase of a fetus, we'll sell you a coffee table at half price". Don't you just hate sarcasm?
As for Hollywood.....well, I won't even bother to go there.
But back to my original point, this is a great column. Although I wish he'd provide more than four paragraphs in his editorials each week, Snow always writes a great column. On top of being a conservative and pro-life, he's also a real wordsmith. I'd love to see Brit Hume do some writing, as well. I'm pretty sure there's unanimity amongst most conservatives in that sentiment because Brit's such a great guy (perhaps a petition would do the trick). But let me stop babbling.
Recent research shows that young humans (below the age of 5) contain a special nutrient that, if consumed by adults, will cure all known forms of cancer. Using the 'logic' of the fetal stem cell proponents, human children should now be subject to processing as food for those afflicted by cancer.
"Could." Supporters desperate for Fed dollars are forever saying this or that research COULD lead to miracles. Blah, blah, blah.
We as a society have thrown hundreds of billions of dollars at the "war on cancer" and not only are "regular" people still dying of cancer every day, but even rich & famous people who can afford the very best treatments are still dying of cancer every day.
Miracles that "could" happen down the road shouldn't lead us to kill babies today.
Mark W.
Yeah, well now you only need "technically" have the crown of your head inside of the mother to qualify as the recipient of a doctor's sharp, life-ending devices removing your brain and collapsing your skull (while you're still wide awake). This was of course the sort of thing that abortion proponents in the 70's promised would never happen were it to be legalised.
Makes you wonder where all of thes life-saving techniques will all end -- Probably dead, oddly enough!
...nothing less than the scientific achievement of human immortality.
For those a bit more conspiritorial, consider the planet-wide social/political implications of such a discovery (chaos) -- now envision a group who realizes the inevitability of such discovery, and seeks to achieve it for themselves and to supress public research in that direction.
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