Reviving Stem Cell Research

[Nezzytheawesome]

Interesting how so many of you didn't even watch the video. As they said, many of the embryos were leftovers from fertility clinics AND WOULD HAVE BEEN THROWN OUT ANYWAY. So all these "You are cannibalizing our youngest" people should realize that embryos in the trash aren't going to live no matter what happens.

So here is my question. Would you rather throw the leftovers into the trash, or use them to cure somebody's illness?

[oran6es]

A "leftover" is no less human than any other human embryo.

"They'll be destroyed anyway?", well why not kill all inmates on death row, screen their organs, transplant the good ones into needy recipients.

By the way, the embryos aren't really destroyed. They're kept alive, in separate pieces and grown in separate dishes. They'll develop into baby body parts in different dishes over several months, awaiting sale for profit.

Humans as property? Sound familiar?

A clear 13th amendment violation.

[MrMeter]

Funny you should mention since most civilized nations have already outlawed the death penalty...

Look, the bottom line is that science regards human beings as the sum of their parts. We think because we have a brain and we feel because we have nerves. In this context there's no rational argument against stem cell research.

The debate arose from the fact that orthodox christians believe either that human embryo's have a soul or that it's blasphemy to manipulate life in this manner.

[MrMeter]

My 50 cents: I don't believe in a soul. Alot of what I am comes from what goes on in my brain. My memory, my consciousness, my ability to sense...every bit of it is due to brain-function. Take it all away and then what's left? Not my character, nor personality, nor my identity. Nothing I would describe as human, would be left. And that's where I stand on stem cells. They're nothing but the sum of their parts. If anyone thinks they have a soul, they'd have to explain to me what that means first.

[oran6es]

A human is the sum of their parts, yes. Those parts should not be pulled apart from each other at any stage of this living individual's development.

CIVILIZED nations should not practice the cannibalization of the youngest of our species.

[MrMeter]

But why? We're already transplanting nearly every part of the human body. What makes an embryo any different?

[oran6es]

Because it is unethical for a corporation to own living human individuals at any stage of their life cycle, for the sole purpose of converting their living parts to a commodity, destroying their existence as a whole in the process.

Killing Peter to cure Paul.

[MrMeter]

I agree on not having corporations own the rights to human individuals, but we keep falling back to that same question: is an embryo really a human being or just a part waiting to be assembled?

[oran6es]

According to my embryology textbook, our existence as an individual begins as a zygote, within 24h of conception. From here, there is a continuum of development that does not cease until adulthood or death. Birth is but an abrupt change in environment.

We are always whole. Earlier in development we're less mature. Human life cycle: zygote, embryo, fetus, infant, child, adolescent, adult....

[MrMeter]

Well, your textbook is completely right :) But where the development of a human being begins, does not equal the question at what stage something can actually be considered human. Pro-abortion laws are also based on the notion that a human does not acquire consciousness untill a certain stage of his development. But I'd really hate this to become a lengthy discussion...

[MrMeter]

I can see where you're coming from and in part I think you're right. I'm all for regulation of embryo usage in medical and science-applications. However, the technology is here to stay. The possible benifits to mankind (i.e. corporate profits) are to great to ignore. Untill we find an alternative, it's better to limit this research to a form that we can agree on then to outlaw it completely.

[oran6es]

At present, we do not all agree on this. As such, it should cease.

There are many alternatives that do not involve systematic human ownership and cannibalization of our youngest.

[Unklebillybob]

What an empty suit. Oblama knows nothing about ESCR, or ASCR. All he knows, is this is his chance to stick it to the American People with another tax increase.

[oilhammer04]

"Promising embryonic stem cell research." Well that just isn't true. Adult stem cell research is promising, so why does Obama perpetuate his lie? If it will make government bigger he is for it, unless we're talking military.

[oran6es]

"they would be destroyed anyway" BULLSHIT ! They don't expire like cartons of milk. They are frozen in liquid nitrogen.

1) Use the tax money to systematically implant these embryos into infertile working class women who cannot afford it

2) New laws limiting those IVF embryos produced to those implanted only

3) Support REAL medical research, not this horrid teratoma producing cannibalistic madness

[747K]

UH SOUNDE?

[nicetimetowatch]

A Big Step Forward in the early days of this administration. Keep this up and everyone WILL have health care in Our Great Country.

[lordzid667]

hell yeah nice one Obama

we need to do what we can to cure all kinds of illness

and this is a great opportunity

[bobbyjustbobby1]

other countries have been working with stem cells non stop and in the US, the research wasn't banned, just limited to private money. (California sent billion, yes billions toward research)

there isn't any real change here.

[Stygeltheracoon]

well,its amazing,im not to fond of barrak. But what he did,well,good for him

[never2l8te]

I cannot explain how happy I am.

[ElemWiz]

Cry more, religious sycophants.