Bill Frist on Stem Cell Research
Posted by Moonage on 30 Jul 2005 | Tagged as: National Politics
First of all, let’s get the actual story right. Media just wants to turn this into a pissing contest without putting the proper emphasis on what’s at stake.
Here’s the legislation: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c109:13:./temp/~c1096UlaKv::
The key part is this:
What this is saying is these are embryos that will be destroyed. Not might. Not could be. But will. The miracle of life does not begin with an embryo. Throughout the history of man, embryos have always been very fragile seeds of life. If you gave birth to an embryo, it would not be a living being by any stretch of the imagination. So, let’s just get over that idea real quick. How that part of the argument has lasted this long is beyond me. I’ve created probably 15 embryos in my life that I am aware of, I have one son to show for it. No one’s going to win that argument with me. It is special because of what it can become, but it takes about six months for "it" to become a viable life. If someone intentionally interferes with a woman’s ability to give that embryo a chance to make it, that is murder in my opinion. If the woman feels she can not properly take care of the result of that process, she can end it voluntarily before that process is done. But, the bottom line is an embryo itself is not a life form that understands what is happening. It might be, but acts of God are more likely to prevent that than acts of man.
Now, understanding that, understand this, I have a genetic defect that I have passed to my son. It may or may be serious. There honestly is no real way to know unless I die of kidney failure suddenly. If that does happen, he most likely will too. As a father, it is my obligation to do everything I can to prevent that from happening to him. That point is not negotiable with me either. No one is going to debate the pro’s and con’s of a father doing what he has to do to protect his son.
Now, understanding those two points you have to understand why I fully support Bill Frist’s efforts. However, if it fails, I won’t be all that tore up. There is plenty of research occurring in the private sector. If I had the money I would simply pay some university to do the research for me. Just ask the Howard Hughes Foundation how much the current policy has affected them. But, I don’t have that kind of money sitting around. If the funding is approved, it probably won’t do me much good any way, as our particular genetic affliction is so rare and most likely non-threatening that compared to alzheimer’s and cancer, it’s a non-issue nationally. Just because this funding might be approved does not mean magical cures will appear overnight. So, I’m not going to flip out one way or the other.
What I have resented about this entire fiasco that is stem cell research is the massive media and political misrepresentation over what is going on. IMO that has done more harm to stem cell research than the bogus "ban" that has never existed.
According to Frist:
"I am pro life, I believe human life begins at conception," Frist said in a Senate speech. "I also believe that embryonic stem cell research should be encouraged and supported."
Bill Frist is a doctor. I am a person who has felt the disappoint of many failed embryos. I think we both see embryos for what they really are, the seed of life, but not a guarantee. Bill Frist is a doctor. I am a person who’s son might benefit from stem cell research. I think we both see things the same way that medical research would benefit greatly for those that are alive with stem cell research.
His backing, which could alienate the most staunchly anti-abortion conservatives but attract support from moderates in a potential White House bid, significantly improves chances of the legislation passing.
It already has. They are showing the same intolerance that pro-stem cell people did in trashing Bush over his fictional "ban". Now, because of their intolerance, Frist has nothing to lose. Bush has nothing to lose in vetoing it. The damage is already done for the pro-stem cell people with Bush, and the pro-life people with Frist. They can both now vote their conscience. And, I can assure you all, that is not what either side wants.
I see this bill passing the Senate. I possibly see Bush capitulating for political reasons. If that happens, I see the NIH putting such policy restrictions on the law that almost no one will be able to use it. Then, the media will shut up. The pro-life people will shut up. And, the pro-stem cell advocates will shut up. And, nothing more will get done than was before. It is very possible for people to get what they want and get less than what they had. It’s a shame that something as important as stem cell research could very likely be the shining example of that political ignorance. But, it very likely will be. The pro-stem cell advocates have run the absolute worst PR campaign I have ever witnessed.
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