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Date sent: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 13:09:34 -0500 Send reply to: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network <[log in to unmask]> From: "Charles T. Meyer, M.D." <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: stem cells To: [log in to unmask] > Following your logic though, In addition to aborted fetuses you should > mourn the deaths of all the miscarriages and failures to implant that > happen every day. All theses deaths would likely make failure to > maintain a pregnancy the number one health problem in the world. > Since I haven't heard of this as a sweeping public health campaign > from the right to life camp I must conclude that even for right to > Lifer's there is a difference between the humanity of different stages > of fetal development. > Nope, Charlie, wrong logic. I do not have a problem with miscarriages or failures to implant, since those are not due to the *direct* causation of the putative parent. There is a big difference between someone who, for example, dies as a result of a spontaneously-contracted infection than when someone dies as a result of germ warfare. >>To say it is only a small step from abortion to the atrocities committed by the Nazi's is ludicrous<< You missed the point again, Charlie. I *do* believe that unrestricted abortion leads to the cheapening of life, but that is not a "small step" to Nazism. It is a fairly "large step" and we haven't gotten near to that yet; but there is a potential for such. At least with abortion, we can assume (at least I hope so) that the pregnancy was not intended so that it could be killed. While I have some reservations about using "leftover" embryos for "experimentation", it does not disturb me as much as the situations where people *start a pregnancy* for the express purpose of "growing transplant material". That to me is abhorrent. Just like using abortion as "birth control" because contraceptives are "inconvenient". >>Let us continue to work toward funding of stem cell research and put aside these fundamental differences for another day.<< I will accept the funding of stem research *only* when there are proper safeguards in place to prevent what it is which I oppose. I have tried to be clear on that. Best, Bob ********************************************** Robert A. Fink, M. D., F.A.C.S., P. C. 2500 Milvia Street Suite 222 Berkeley, California 94704-2636 Telephone: 510-849-2555 FAX: 510-849-2557 WWW: http://www.dovecom.com/rafink/ mailto:[log in to unmask] "Ex Tristitia Virtus" *********************************************