Saving people from suffering? Curing diseases? Screw that. We have our own agendas to push!!!

I’m on a bit of a roll, so here’s another rant. I didn’t look for this, it came to me.

So a co-worker thought I should be educated in Stem-cell research after a very short discussion about it during a break we had. She sent me a document that contained statements such as the ones below. They were all gathered from one of my most highly despised and hated groups in the world. I am responding to this particlar article.

A big argument she has is that perhaps stem cell research is just a mask to further cloning research. WTF?

For a better explanation/view of Stem-Cell research please read this.

By the way. I think this all started with presidential discussions. President Bush is strongly AGAINST stem-cell research. Don’t let what he or Laura say confuse you. We support 'some' stem-cell research my ass. He is strongly against it and will pass legislation banning stem cell research. Senator Kerry is very pro-Stem cell research.

I could’ve been more harsh with the below comments, but this was a co-worker and I kinda like my job if not the area where I live. In red are my responses.

..Adult stem cells have a proven track record of helping patients in the healing process. – This is true. But there are things that cannot be grown with adult stem cell, hence we look else where. Adult stem cell cannot grow into brain or nerve cells (these are the big ones for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s).
..Scientists admit they have far to go before mastering the complicated and rapid process of embryonic stem cell growth and development. – This is true. But by banning research, we’ll never be able to master anything. Also, try explaining to someone dying and to their family that we don’t want to do research on something that may help them because it’s too complicated.

..embryonic stem cells have yet to demonstrate any therapeutic benefit to patients. – That’s because the research is not being funded and is being banned. How would we know if there was?

..The latter, called "embryo adoption," has successfully blessed several infertile couples with children.. – If you were blessed, and you were suppose to have children, then you would have done so naturally. Why would you say science is such a great thing when it helps you and attack it when it doesn’t? Having 5 or 7 or whatever it is children at one time is NOT natural.

..quest for embryonic stem cells two further steps, shattering age-old limits in medical ethics.. – There are no age-old limits in medical ethics on this since it’s a new process. Also, those embryos would just die or be rendered useless in a woman’s body when not used (yes, all women have plenty to go around). Why just let them be wasted when it could help people?

..To argue that "surplus" embryos may be thrown away in any case arrogantly glosses over the fact that embryos are living human beings.. – But they are. They are thrown away everyday in clinics and such. Why is it ok to throw them away and let it go to waste but not to take some parts from them before doing so? And the living human beings? It’s not like we’re throwing away a kid or something. This is something that has the potential to become a human, but being that it is on a dish in a lab, no, it’s not.

..to propose creating human embryos solely for scientific benefit and then destruction is unspeakably evil.. – To watch someone suffer and die for a disease knowing that, even if it didn’t work, you didn’t do everything possible to help them. And not only did you not help, you were barring others from trying to help. Just sitting there and saying “too bad”. Now that’s evil.

..what will prevent the same scientists tomorrow from the equally egregious act of dissecting 6-month-old unborn children in the womb for their body parts? – Are you kidding me? How can people actually argue this with a straight face?

The article keeps mentioning pro-life this and that. It seems that it’s not so much about cloning. This isn’t even about stem cell research. However you would like to disguise it, the article is a mask about abortion. The issue of stem cell is only mildly related to this issue, and yet, they enjoy bringing up the subject. Unfortunately this time, it is at the cost of millions who suffer from those diseases that this type of research could help. I’m not saying tomorrow or even next year, but we’ll get there. Give these people hope and a chance.

Also, stem cell research and abortion are NOT the same issues here, don’t confuse them, and don’t drag others into this that doesn’t need more suffering at your hands. These are two separate issues here.

If these people that are so against stem cell research do value all life, then they should consider those that are suffering. The ones suffering now, and tomorrow, and forever because no cure is being researched. I hope they can explain these same reasons if anyone close to them ever develops any of these diseases and nothing has been done. To know you spoke against a hope or even the cure itself, how do you sleep at night. Instead, you can only watch them suffer. Suffer as their body slowly shuts down piece by piece. And you know what? Those embryos that you ‘saved’, they were still thrown away.

I don’t understand why anyone would oppose helping people at the cost of SO little.