Friends--- I've just written a letter to the editor of our local
weekly paper, because I was concerned about a column they carried this
week . The writer, who happens to be the publisher of the paper,
discussed stem cell research, and after mentioning that 10 years ago it
might have benefited his son who had kidney problems, he mentioned the
"typical people" who oppose it due to "pro-life" beliefs, or support it
because they "don't believe an embryo is a life". He then says he
opposes it, but does not say why.
The main point of his piece was that he heard so many supporters who
sounded selfish and self-serving, showing what he describes as "a
disturbing lack of thought as to anything other than how it will
benefit ME". He goes on to describe them as being "like the four year
old with her eyes on the cookie jar, 'way up high, who simply wants a
cookie" and has no idea of the consequences of breaking plates as she
climbs up to get it. He finishes by saying that little weight should
be given to the arguments of such persons whose "primary motivation is
the betterment of self."
Well, this upset me when I read it, and today I've written this letter.
My point in sharing it here is this:
We are encouraged to tell our personal stories, and that is good BUT we
should also be very sure to include the fact that we are advocating for
millions of others, even those yet unborn ! It would never have
occurred to me that a reader would have the reaction he did, but he may
not be the only one !
Letter to the Editor:
PalatinoTo the Editor,
The Oxford Press
Oxford, OH
Dear Sir,
When I read Mr. Agliata's column about stem cell research in the August
16th paper, I was troubled, and felt I must respond. I found his
comparison of some proponents of the research as self-serving , like
"a four year old with her eye on the cookie jar", to be both
insensitive and ill-informed.
While it is true that in confronting every human dilemma there will
always be some who are looking to help only themselves, this is far
from true in the current debate about stem cell research. My
knowledge of the issue is shaped by reading a very wide variety of
medical, editorial, and personal reports on the worldwide email list
for persons affected by Parkinsons disease---some 1900 members in 17
countries, and the caregivers of Parkinsonians on the list I run for
them--about 400 in 10 countries.
My personal "stake" in this research is the knowledge of the lives
they lead, and of the struggles for many years of my husband, who died
from advanced Parkinson's this past June. I also have a son-in-law who
has just lost a leg to diabetes, and a brother-in-law with Alzheimer's.
While all of these diseases would potentially be helped or cured
through stem cell research, my interest is not on behalf of these
family members, all of who are too far advanced to benefit personally
from it.
The same is true for the majority of the advocates in the Parkinson
community, who are expending their often very limited resources and
energy to advocate for any promising research---they believe that
while they would not benefit personally from it , years down the road,
there are many millions of people with a very long list of diseases who
would benefit. I can't see this as just "how it will benefit me".
Perhaps one thing that confused Mr. Agliata is that we have been told
over and over to "personalize" our appeals to Congress and the public,
because that will "put a face on the disease". Please do not think
that just because someone tells you her/his story, that means the
person is making moral decisions selfishly, and therefore discount
their appeal as Mr. Agliata urges. To say that their "sole or primary
motivation is for the betterment of self" ignores the fact that they
are working and speaking for the benefit of generations to come, and
may never see any personal relief of their suffering.
While I suspect this is an argument he chose to prevent arguing on
pro-life grounds, it seems a warning to be careful that we present our
personal stories in a wider context.
Camilla Flintermann <<[log in to unmask]>
on the web at http://www.geocities.com/camillahf/index.html
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"... Meet people where they are now,
not where you hoped they might be........"
--Christine Greenland
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