I will add my two cents, as I've done some research on this particular debate. I am a Roman Catholic, yet I am pro-choice, so I'll get that out there right away.
When you compared someone being on life support in a vegetative state to the harvesting of frozen embryos that will be destroyed anyway, I couldn't help but think about a little program called organ donation that everyone in the country has the option of signing up for. Just as any individual can sign off on their own body, the parents of these embryos have the choice (at least in some parts of the country) to donate the unused embryos to research. I'm not going to get on the moral pulpit and try and preach how my values are different from yours, but I will note that the majority of the country (60% according to the NY Times) does not agree with Bush's decision on this and yet we can't get government funding for this. In the same light, a majority of the country doesn't agree with the war, yet our tax dollars are going to a cause that most of the country doesn't believe we should be involved in and a cause in which thousands of American troops have died. I truly believe our leader's morals and judgement are skewed by the socio-political and economical scheme that has become the "democratic" nature of this country. Now, I'm not saying that it is necessarily "right" or "wrong" to use the embryonic stem cells, but they have the most versitility out of any of the other available versions. I know from my own experience that if this sacrifice of moral values could possibly end the suffering and heartache for millions of not only Americans but also people all over the world, then it might just be worth swallowing our pride for once. That being said, and refering to Bobby's email, the research will go on, just not with government tax dollars, and not necessarily to the extent that it would if the government supported it. Personally, if I had to make a moral judgement, I would rather see my tax dollars go toward this type of stem cell research then see it go towards a war that this country doesn't even support. Sorry for the long post, I'm a little sensitive on this debate. -Terry 7/21/06, grace53a <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hello Barbara, I too am proud of Bush at this moment, and yes, I agree with Jim's most eloquent post. Considering the nature of my disease, my prognosis, and the likely outcome, it may come as a surprise to some---yet, it is, and has always been a deep conviction of mine, that embryos should not be used whenever so many other viable methods of harvesting stem cells are available. Grace (Staunch Methodist and proud of it.)
