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John1040 the Soldier (59)Posted on May 29th, 2005 by Christine.
Categories: Current Events & Politics.
Personally, I don’t see a problem with using these embryos for stem cell research. Everyone agrees that stem cell research has the potential to uncover cures for fatal diseases that afflict millions of people every year, including Cancer. If these 400,000 embryos– which are nothing more than fertilized eggs– can help scientists come up with cures that will save millions of people from suffering horrible deaths, then go for it. The House of Representatives passed the bill last week to allow scientists to use the embryos for stem cell research instead of discarding them. The bill goes to the Senate next. After that, it will go to the president who has already stated he will veto the bill. Once vetoed, the Senate can take another vote to override the president’s veto. If they do, the bill will be passed regardless of whether Bush approves or not. Apparently, support from both Democrats and Republicans in congress is high. According to Senator Specter, a Republican from Pennsylvania who suffers from Hodgkins lymphoma Cancer himself, 58 senators signed a letter to Bush asking him to change his mind about his opposition to the bill. In addition, Specter said that there were 20 more who refused to sign the letter but supported the letter and collectively, that would be enough to override a veto. Specter, along with Democratic Congressman Tom Harkin from Iowa, set up a program last year to encourage people to adopt the embryos. So far, only 100 of the 400,000 have been adopted. Specter strongly supports the adoption of the “snowflake babies,” but points out that Bush’s goal of adopting them all out isn’t realistic. Specter said that if they could all be adopted out, he would of course prefer that the embryos be adopted and eventually become babies instead of being used for stem cell research. But that’s not going to happen and to keep these embryos indefinitely frozen for no purpose when they could be used to develop cures for diseases that could potentially save millions of lives, isn’t right. We have the tools to continue this research and save lives, and there are people who don’t want us to use those tools. In my opinion, it’s ridiculous that we would let this embryos stay frozen forever (never becoming babies mind you) when they could be used to keep alive someone’s mother or father or husband or wife who is dying of Cancer. My question to those who believe the embryos are indeed human life is… if it’s okay to sacrifice the life of an 18 year old in the armed forces in the war on terrorism to prevent the deaths of Americans who might be killed in a terrorist attack, why isn’t it okay to sacrifice the “life” of an embryo to prevent the deaths of potentially many more Americans who have or will become afflicted with Cancer in the next five years? In my opinion, the death of the kid in the military makes a bigger impact on those living than the “death” (and I use this term only in respect to the concept that some think it is a “life”) of an embryo that no one has any attachment to anyway. The life of the 18 year old is important because (a) it is a life and life in and of itself is important, A cryogenically stored embryo, if you believe it is a life at that stage, only fulfills (a). It doesn’t fulfill I’m glad to see that the Congresspeople elected to serve our best interests are doing so, even if President Bush is not. 10 comments. Plagerizm, Breakups and Trick Whores »« If You Offend Me, I Might Die…
The difference between “sacrifice” of an 18 yea old in the military and a snowflake baby is an 18 year old chooses to join the military. They choose to put their life on the line and the know the risks and rewards getting into that situation. It is the same as people who fish the rough waters of the great banks.. or barren straight.. they get involved in that situation because they risk to payoff is big.. the snowflake babies are not making the choice of how they are going to be used themselves, .. (just like children don’t make choices for themselves until they are 18.. legally). May 29th, 2005
I couldn’t agree with you more, Christine. I think the idea of “adopting” these snowflake babies is insane. I’m assuming by “adoption” we’re talking about implanting the embryos and hoping that they become full term babies. What about the rate of failure with IVF?? If I harvested 12 eggs, and 10 were successfully fertilized, 4 were implanted, the odds of all 4 surviving not good. Also, it’s my understanding that the embryos are screened, and the most viable are implanted, so the ones left over, the “snowflake babies” are the less viable, lower quality eggs. Aren’t we setting the adoptive parents up for miscarriage, and therefore the “snowflake babies” “die” anyway? Have you ever had a relative suffer and die from a disease like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s? I would go right now, give myself shots every day, harvest my eggs, and have them fertilized if it meant I could give those embryos to a scientist who might be able to find a cure. They aren’t babies, my babies are upstairs in bed. They are, however, life, and just like my blood could save another life, so could my eggs. June 1st, 2005
Well said, Crystal. June 1st, 2005
Doesn’t anyone know about the difference between adult stem cells and embrionic stem cells? The adult stem cells are the ones with all the promise to help cancer and Alzheimer’s and more. The embrionic stem cells haven’t done anything. Bush didn’t outlaw the research, just the goverment funding. And not even funding of embrionic stem cell research, just on newly killed babys. If you want to aid the research, donate cord blood. August 19th, 2005
Sarah, I’m not sure you know what the fuck your talking about. August 19th, 2005
Good guess, Christopher. Sarah’s full of shit. Check your facts, girl. Embryonic stem cells have great potential for curing diseases like Parkinson’s because at the embryonic stage, they can still become any type of cell, thus having the ability to repair any type of organ. And actually, Bush didn’t support stem cell research on aborted embryos, not “newly killed babies.” “Newly killed babies” (like any other “newly killed” people) are buried or cremated. He did threaten to veto a bill that would allow for taxpayers’ money to support stem cell research on embryonic stem cells. So I have no idea where you’re getting your facts… the Enquirer maybe? Anyway, the good news is… AP broke the news today that researchers have made a breakthrough in fusing embryonic stem cells with skin cells– which then retain embryonic properties. This is excellent news because it means that with more research, it is likely that scientists will be able to stop using embryonic stem cells and use other cells to continue trying to find the cures for these diseases… then all these whackos who would rather that people continue to die from potentially preventable diseases rather than use embryonic stem cells can have one less thing to bitch about. BTW– Sarah did make one good point… donating cord blood is a good way to support research. August 22nd, 2005
These snowflakes do become children and these 100 children visited the White House a few months ago. Presedent Bush was able to see, firsthand, the potential of these embryos. They are children not just a frozen bunch of cells. The success rate is actually quite good and I think having these children adopted is morally a step in the right direction. We can’t just say, “they are just going to be thrown out if we don’t use them for research”. They could be someone’s child! My child! Also adult stem cell research has great potential for curing disease as well. I don’t see why we are so “hell bent” on having now regard for the sanctity of human life. Cells are a living thing, they are the beginning of life, so you can’t even make the argument that these embryos are not alive. Cells are what make up life. Just because the heart has not begun to beat does not mean that life has not started. I get tired of people just sticking to the argument of do what is right for the greater good. Utilitarianism always fails because someone always loses! September 8th, 2005
It occurs to me that many people may not want their “extra” biological offspring adopted. Can you imagine the implications of all these embryos actually being born? Your own child could end up living with those crappy neighbors next door, for one thing. We’d need DNA testing before getting a marriage license to make sure the proposed spouse is not a close relative. More embryos are created all the time, and most will never be implanted. Perpetual cold storage or destruction will be their fate. Or they could help save lives and ease the suffering of people with brains and nervous systems and loved ones. October 15th, 2005
The success rate currently, taken off the Nightlight website (they started this snowflake baby adoption business)is 1584 donated embryos and only 96 became full term fetuses. That’s less than 15%, not what i’d consider a success by any definition of the word. November 11th, 2005
[…] May 2005 President Bush comes up with the idea of adopting out snowflake babies in an effort to oppose stem cell research. […] December 11th, 2005 
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that person has existing attachments and responsibilities to other living people who will be profoundly affected if his life ends. But yet, we are willing to forgo the protection of that life of the 18 year old because we weigh the greater benefits of sacrificing his life to potentially save the lives of many other Americans, and while no one wants American soldiers to die in combat, we believe that is acceptable and worthwhile based on the needs of the greater good. 
Sarah the Virgin hunt n' pecked this
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