Quote:
Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Why does that issue get you so hot? There are plenty of reasons to feel the way you do--I'm just surprised this one is foremost. To me, it's only a few steps above getting pissed off at Bush 1 for cutting NEA funding because of its support of works such as PissChrist.
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I have two very personal reasons. First, let's talk diabetes. Some of the most promising stem cell research right now is being done on islet cells, which will one day eradicate insulin dependent diabetes. Second, regeneration of heart muscle. They have actrually successfully done this in mice. The lack of an adequatesupply of human stem cells will keep this from progressing to the human testing level. Given that over 60% of my left ventricle is akinetic (i.e.,
dead) I have a real interest in not blocking a research program that might one day allow me to replace that dead tissue with live functioning muscle.
Now, multiply me by the millions of Americans who will be helped by this research. Americans who far outnumber the conservative luddites who oppose stem cell research. When the religious beliefs of the few outweigh the rights of the majority, we stand in a moment of constitutional crisis, whether it is so acknowledged or not.
