A MATTER OF SCIENCE...AND PRINCIPLES
During a House debate on easing restrictions of federal funding for stem cell research, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said that using leftover embryos from fertility clinics amounts to the "dismemberment of living, distinct human beings" because the embryos are destroyed during the research.
I was struck by the suggestion that embryos could be equated to "distinct human beings." It's an off-the-charts leap of logic. An embryo is no more a distinct human being than the egg in my refrigerator is a distinct chicken. They're not the same. Incredibly, there are idealogues in this country who put potential human life ahead of real, living human beings. And unfortunately, some of them are in positions of power. Given the opportunity, it sounds as if Delay would ban invitro fertilization as well.
With recent polls showing that roughly two-thirds of Americans support embryonic stem cell research, and a majority favor fewer restrictions on taxpayer funding of it, conservative politicians who pander to the religious right, like Delay, are clearly in the minority.
Senator Bill Frist, a powerful voice in American politics due to his position as Senate Majority Leader, was part of that vocal minority - until last week. In a stunning turnaround, Frist changed course and publicly reversed his position on this critical social issue. Breaking ranks with both President Bush and Representative Delay, Frist said, "It's not just a matter of faith, it's a matter of science."
I was both amazed and relieved. Putting science, or fact, ahead of faith may be a matter of reason and logic to some of us, but to others it's a truly novel idea. Thankfully, Frist has joined the ranks of the reasonable and the logical. Well, at least on this issue.
Earlier that week, Frist interrupted Senate debate on the defense authorization bill in order to call up a different piece of legislation. In his estimation, another bill demanded his colleagues immediate consideration. He assured them that this was a "very important" bill that absolutely required action before the Senate's August recess. The reason Frist was willing to postpone consideration of the defense authorization bill until September - during a time of war? Frist was just doing the bidding of his patrons over at the National Rifle Association, arguing that it was critically important to consider new legislation shielding gun manufacturers from civil liability lawsuits. Yeah, that "very important" legislation.
Anyway, back to the stem cell topic.
Frist is said to be interested in a bid for the White House in 2008. His former position put him on the wrong side of the opinion polls, so he switched sides. Frist's turnabout came the same week that a group of stem cell research supporters, StemPAC, began a television campaign in New Hampshire, site of the first 2008 presidential primary, criticizing him for not scheduling a vote on the issue. Frist quickly announced that the Senate would debate and vote on the issue in the fall.
The Senator was said to have reached his decision after consulting with scientists at Stanford University and other research centers and while watching biomedical research advance overseas. Stem research could lead to jobs, patents, and lots and lots of money. Ask any politician; jobs good, money good.
Frist is a doctor, so one would assume he'd put science first, viewing it as paramount to sound decision making. Yet, he is the same Senator who attempted to diagnose Terri Schiavo from the Senate floor - via video - while she was in Florida! Ideology has a remarkable way of interfering with reason.
Who knows? Perhaps Frist really did have a genuine change of heart. In his estimation, only embryos that would otherwise be discarded should be used for the research. Those that could be adopted or implanted should not be used. This sounds reasonable to me. If they're going to be destroyed anyway, why not use them for the benefit of humanity first.
"I'm doing this as somebody who has convictions," Frist said. "This is not about politics. It is about policy. It is about principle. It is about human life."
Try telling that to President Bush. His principles seem to dictate that one should never change one's mind. At least not publicly. But suddenly, Bill Frist has principles. Well, that whole issue of pandering to the NRA and gun manufacturers aside.
Copyright © 2005 The Independent Report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
During a House debate on easing restrictions of federal funding for stem cell research, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said that using leftover embryos from fertility clinics amounts to the "dismemberment of living, distinct human beings" because the embryos are destroyed during the research.
I was struck by the suggestion that embryos could be equated to "distinct human beings." It's an off-the-charts leap of logic. An embryo is no more a distinct human being than the egg in my refrigerator is a distinct chicken. They're not the same. Incredibly, there are idealogues in this country who put potential human life ahead of real, living human beings. And unfortunately, some of them are in positions of power. Given the opportunity, it sounds as if Delay would ban invitro fertilization as well.
With recent polls showing that roughly two-thirds of Americans support embryonic stem cell research, and a majority favor fewer restrictions on taxpayer funding of it, conservative politicians who pander to the religious right, like Delay, are clearly in the minority.
Senator Bill Frist, a powerful voice in American politics due to his position as Senate Majority Leader, was part of that vocal minority - until last week. In a stunning turnaround, Frist changed course and publicly reversed his position on this critical social issue. Breaking ranks with both President Bush and Representative Delay, Frist said, "It's not just a matter of faith, it's a matter of science."
I was both amazed and relieved. Putting science, or fact, ahead of faith may be a matter of reason and logic to some of us, but to others it's a truly novel idea. Thankfully, Frist has joined the ranks of the reasonable and the logical. Well, at least on this issue.
Earlier that week, Frist interrupted Senate debate on the defense authorization bill in order to call up a different piece of legislation. In his estimation, another bill demanded his colleagues immediate consideration. He assured them that this was a "very important" bill that absolutely required action before the Senate's August recess. The reason Frist was willing to postpone consideration of the defense authorization bill until September - during a time of war? Frist was just doing the bidding of his patrons over at the National Rifle Association, arguing that it was critically important to consider new legislation shielding gun manufacturers from civil liability lawsuits. Yeah, that "very important" legislation.
Anyway, back to the stem cell topic.
Frist is said to be interested in a bid for the White House in 2008. His former position put him on the wrong side of the opinion polls, so he switched sides. Frist's turnabout came the same week that a group of stem cell research supporters, StemPAC, began a television campaign in New Hampshire, site of the first 2008 presidential primary, criticizing him for not scheduling a vote on the issue. Frist quickly announced that the Senate would debate and vote on the issue in the fall.
The Senator was said to have reached his decision after consulting with scientists at Stanford University and other research centers and while watching biomedical research advance overseas. Stem research could lead to jobs, patents, and lots and lots of money. Ask any politician; jobs good, money good.
Frist is a doctor, so one would assume he'd put science first, viewing it as paramount to sound decision making. Yet, he is the same Senator who attempted to diagnose Terri Schiavo from the Senate floor - via video - while she was in Florida! Ideology has a remarkable way of interfering with reason.
Who knows? Perhaps Frist really did have a genuine change of heart. In his estimation, only embryos that would otherwise be discarded should be used for the research. Those that could be adopted or implanted should not be used. This sounds reasonable to me. If they're going to be destroyed anyway, why not use them for the benefit of humanity first.
"I'm doing this as somebody who has convictions," Frist said. "This is not about politics. It is about policy. It is about principle. It is about human life."
Try telling that to President Bush. His principles seem to dictate that one should never change one's mind. At least not publicly. But suddenly, Bill Frist has principles. Well, that whole issue of pandering to the NRA and gun manufacturers aside.
Copyright © 2005 The Independent Report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
posted by Sean M. Kennedy | 3:20 PM
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