Good morning, List:

This is what I emailed to Larry King Live. My thanks to Delores for getting
his email address. :)

Dear Larry:

I belong to the Parkinson's Information List on the internet. We are a
community of people worldwide - 1800+ members, an internet family held
together by a common thread - each of our lives has been affected by this
in one way or another by Parkinson's Disease. We exchange information on
this list, share good and bad experiences, laugh and cry together, and
cling to a desperate hope for a cure.

There was excitement on the list when the Udall bill passed. Then again
when Senator Spector introduced his bill ( S-2105 ) on Stem Cell Research -
only to have our hopes dashed when we heard Senator Brownback of Kansas has
placed 23 amendments on this bill - changing one word, etc - in effect
delaying or killing passage of this bill.

Here are some recent email messages posted to the list. Listen to our cries
for help.

"What is the issue re: Federal Funding (US) for Stem Cell Research? In
January 2000 Sen. Spector put a Bill in the Senate S.2015. In April and
Sept. there were hearings (testimony) to advance or oppose this bill. Sept.
20th. Sen Brownback filed 23 amendments to this bill and it is obvious he
intends to block it in the Senate. Now the 106th. Congress is drawing to a
close and this vital bill has not been debated nor voted upon and may be
lost for another year if we don't get together and contact everyone we can
influence to support this bill.This would of course include anyone with
Parkinson's but what about the other diseases? What about Diabetes, Cancer,
Heart, Spine, Muscle, etc. If you know someone then pass on this
info...Time is running out. We rallied on the PARKINSN LIST the last couple
of weeks, but I fear we are too small a group." Murray Charters

"Senator Trent Lott (Rep-Miss) has promised Senator Arlen Spector (R-Penn)
that he will bring the stem cell issue up for vote within the month. Lott
is very much anti-stem cell research. His timing is such that methinks he
wants
to rush thru a vote that would kill funding before he loses his probable
lead. Specifically he is against the research using any form of stem cell
from the in-vitro fertilization program. This is the biggest source of
undifferentiated stem cells. This type of cell shows the most flexibility
and the greatest life span. Adult stem cells appear to be more limited in
flexibility and have a shorter life span. NIH has written a tough, but
reasonable set of guidelines to prevent abuse of stem cells obtained from
in-vitro programs. With less then one month left we need YOU to call your
Congressman and both Senators ASAP. You can follow that up with a letter
and possibly an e-mail missive." Sid Levin

"It's one thing to vote against something ,but to sandbag it so no one can
vote FOR it ,is playing dirty politics. Each time a Bill has an Amendment
presented, each Amendment has to be read twice to the whole Senate, not
just that committee. Then if the Amendment passes, the Bill is given a new
number and sent back to the Senate committee again until its passed or
rejected. By putting those Amendments in , one amendment for each word of a
title, Brownback has fixed it so that NO ONE will be able to vote on this
Bill during this session of Congress.
I'm not certain that Brownback can asked for those amendments to be
rescinded, but I doubt that he will do so. This is a very sad day in
American politics, and an even sadder day for all of those whose lives
could have been helped with this research." This and the following excerpt
from an email is from Marjorie Moorefield, who was born in Kansas and
wishes she could change her birth State after seeing Brownfield's tactics.

"SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO REMEMBER THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS EXERCISE WAS TO
DRAIN THE SWAMP WHEN YOU ARE UP TO YOUR EYEBALLS IN ALLIGATORS Then after
you read the caption, you could see the poor man, indeed, up to his
eyeballs in alligators. Let's remember the objective of our exercise right
now is to get the S.2015 Stem Cell Research Bill passed. This bill has only
one purpose, to use Embryonic Cells to a more noble end than to be flushed
down the drain, as is happening to them now. These Cells can never become
living beings because they lack a host. Research on these condemned cells
could , hopefully ,hasten a cure for many, many, chronic illnesses, PD only
being one of many.
It has absolutely nothing to do with abortions, selling baby body parts,
nor cloning humans, nor cloning humans with animals. The NIH has very
strict guidelines in place as to the way they can be used. The Bio-Ethics
Committee
has even approved .S.2015 MUST become our number one priority if we don't
want to be condemn ourselves , or our loved ones , to a living hell and
having Parkinson's Disease listed on our death certificates as cause of
death.Let's us all remember the object of this exercise and get busy
emailing Senators . Urge them to vote for S.2015, without Sen. Brownback's
amendments."

And last, titled Re: Life - from a mother who lost custody of her children
because of governmental interference - deciding because she was a PWP
(person with Parkinson's) she wasn't capable of caring for them. "yes, but
when we are discussing stem cell research, the question is are we
discussing an unborn baby?
first of all, the 'cell clusters' are not viable on their own - a specious
argument , i agree but to me the real argument is - they are bound for
destruction anyway.
they are going to be incinerated. they are waste material that is going to
be destroyed. they are - if you believe they are living matter - about to
be murder victims. and when a man is murdered, do we say his heart cannot
be used for transplant, so that another man may live. do we say his cornea
cannot give vision to a blind man. do we say his kidney may not spare
someone from spending the rest of their lives on a dialysis machine. NO, we
mourn his death, and then rejoice in the improved quality of life or even
of the life itself that the recipients can enjoy.
i know - i keep on reading their stories in readers digest! and so this
little cell cluster, bound for the trash heap , could give quality of life
e and length of days
(in accordance with Deuternonomy chapter 22, verse 7) to someone w ith a
muscular degenerative disease like ours. or diabetes, etc and i would love
to read about it in readers digest! and although personally i do not
support the death penalty, i can see the reasoning on certain cases. but by
banning stem cell research - are you not supporting the death penalty for
me?" hilary blue

This is but a sampling of recent emails posted to our list. Is anyone out
there listening to our cry for help? Will you help us, Larry, by asking
Vice President Gore what his position is on Stem Cell Research? We who are
PWP's will consider this carefully when we cast our votes.

Will you also let the American public know the devious tactics of Senator
Brownback.

Those of us who can will be watching your TV show with interest. Please,
please give us a hand and help us.

Barbara Knight
Diagnosed with Parkinson's last year.