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I wrote the following letter to the editor of People magazine, I encourage
you to all write one as well.

I feel your timing in glorifying the adoption of frozen embyros to be
tasteless.  Specifically because not a fair amount of magazine space was
given to the millions of already existing lives these embryos could help or
even save.  It is a beautiful thing, a newborn baby and to give one to a
childless couple, even more amazing.  What happens when one of those new
babies is born a diabetic, or grows up and is diagnosed with Parkinson's
Disease in their twenties?  You accomplished one side of my mission, to take
the focus off the cells and put it on the faces.  Now, lets give fair space
to the faces of those already living human beings it will help.

I wrote a letter to the President when he was making his choice about
funding stem cell research.  I have included it because it still shares the
feelings of a person waiting while others ponder the circumstances of
something that  could save her life and is a cry out to those stopping it to
think twice about what they know to be true.
Dear Mr.. President,

I am a thirty eight year old woman who has been diagnosed with Parkinson's
Disease.  I believe in the right to life as well as the right to choose and
I believe a man should pay for his crimes imprisoned rather than put to
peace.  That is really what death is - peace.  So, you see we differ and yet
agree on many issues not unlike all of America.  I have no idea what God is
thinking about the stem cell issue or if he considers the cells they are
using life.  Does it have a soul?  Unfortunately we can never know. What we
are faced with is the fact that this research could end the suffering of
those we do know God considers life and if you believe in spiritual things,
are positive have a soul.  Might we consider this research like the rowboat
in a storm.  Would we recognize God's help if we were looking it in the eye?

Is it right to play with the creation of life in the first place?  Any
childless couple longing to be parents would argue that this method of
science is their rowboat in the storm. The fact is that this method of
science is being used and the life that is produced is no different than one
created from natural methods. Who knows for sure that intercourse is the
only way that God intended for life to be created?  The next fact is that
this method of science has "residual" that is proving to be the key to a
"cure" for diseases threatening the lives of millions of people.  Would we
recognize God's help if we were looking it in the eye?

As far as I know, God is not living amongst us in the physical form.  Anyone
claiming to be him would surely be cast aside and labeled crazy.  Yet, he is
present and individual interpretation of what he may or may not be thinking
is the foundation for many important decisions, most recently the decision
to fund stem cell research.  I don't know.  Unlike those opposed to funding
the research, who claim to know exactly what God is thinking, I simply do
not.  I do know that this research has the potential of changing the futures
of millions of people.  Would we recognize God's help if we were looking it
in the eye?

Thank you for your time,

Stacey Downing

Support the fight against Parkinson's Disease

Visit us at www.bid4cure.com

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