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Jim,
My problem is if our political and spiritual
leaders are going to squash "good" research just because it has the "stem
cell research" tag on it. I don't know all of the facts, but it seems that
is what is happening. I just want to see that research go full steam ahead
in a responsible way. It's not hard to figure out what is right and wrong,
but when politicians get involved and see the issue as a springboard for their
own personal agendas....that is where I have a MAJOR
problem.
Sorry if I stirred up a hornets nest, but what I do
know is that there are other ways to harvest stem cells for research without
getting into the Nazi way of doing research. I also apologize if I
offended anyone with the "Moral Majority" comment, but I personally have a
problem with taking the Bible and twisting the message it gives to meet
their needs. I prefer to take the Deepak Chopra approach to religion and
sprituality myself, but I won't dive into that......
Alan
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 6:54
PM
Subject: Re: [TMIC] Study shows spinal
cord regeneration
(I'm copying this from my replies on another list,
so forgive me if it sounds like I'm rambling on)
I've never thought of
myself as part of the "Moral Majority" as you say (I am a Roman Catholic) but agree with president Bush on
this and I will explain way.
I do believe that a human egg and human
sperm make a human being from the time they are joined, from that point the
zygote contains all the 46 chromosomes need to be human. It's called an embryo
after about 10 days. Being a human, it is entitled to protection to life from
the Government. Therefore, the Government should not be funding the
destruction of life for the purpose of research.
Now your opinion of
when a human is a human and entitled to protection obviously differs from mine
and president Bush. You can decide for yourself when a human becomes a human
that is entitled to protection. Some people thing after birth and not before.
I'm against IVF treatments as well because it creates extra embryos in
the process, but since they exist then keep them on life support (i.e. frozen)
indefinitely. They are not something that should be killed (i.e. by removing
stem cells) to possibly make another persons life better. I have a moral
problem with taking one life to improve another persons life.
As for
using those extra embryos in research for the possible benefit of others, just
because they are going to be destroyed anyway, following that reasoning,
here's my problem with that. A person with a traumatic brain injury or in a
coma being kept alive on ventilator will never be completely healed and will
die without the life-support, so why not harvest their body parts to improve
someone else's life? I see both equally wrong. The Nazi's conducted
medical research on the people they were going to kill anyway. I see it as the
same.
Embryos left over from IVF are not the only source for stem
cells. (2006.06.27: Research on Alternative Sources of Pluripotent Stem Cells,
http://www.hhs.gov/asl/testify/t060627.html )
So I
feel those sources should pursued since there would be no moral or ethical
concerns. I'm all for scientific advancement that does not conflict with my
morals and ethics.
Now, if scientist want to use stem cells derived
from a human egg and another cell, somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), I
don't consider that a human and have no problem with research on those stem
cells.
At 12:34 PM 7/20/2006, Alan Junghans wrote:
I was a little vague
in the "Kill stem cell research", but he sure is holding back
progress. If he had TM or Parkinsons OR ANYTHING that could benefit,
he might tell all of the "Moral Majority" to piss off and do the right
thing.
I didn't want to admit it before, but he is truly a friggin
idiot who is clueless.....
- ----- Original Message -----
- From: Krissy Z
- To: Alan Junghans ; TM List ; TMA-New-England
- Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:42 AM
- Subject: Re: [TMIC] Study shows spinal cord regeneration
- i never voted for him...he repulses me...and to veto this stem cell
reseach. something so important to folks like all of us,his brain is not
just wired to what priorities should be.
- what goes around........
----
Jim
Lubin
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://makoa.org/jim
disAbility Resources: http://www.makoa.org
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