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Put the Brave New World on hold: Is it too much to ask that Congress take some form of action on cloning this year? A full ban would be best, but at the very least, let's follow the advice of the President's Council on Bioethics and pass a four-year moratorium on both reproductive and so-called "research" cloning. Despite the bathetic statements by various Hollywood celebrities and others, no one currently suffering from Parkinson's or any other disease is going to die from a lack of a cure because of a four-year moratorium. Four years just might give us time to cleanse doublespeak and emotional appeals from the cloning discussion--and permit a reasoned national debate about whether the speculative benefits of research cloning outweigh the damage such research would do to our respect for the dignity of all forms of human life. I am utterly appalled at this part of an editorial published by your Lee Buckhorn, about the conditions that Parkinson's patients suffer and "no one is going to die" from this disease. My father passed after a extended battle against Parkinson's' at which, he did die from this disease. If their was a greater, renewed research using viable stem cells, there may of been some relief for my father, who died gagging on this own spittle, and from the lack of knowledge your associate editor seems to exhibit , or is ignorance just run amuck in your news office? People do die from Parkinson's. It is slow, unkind, and too much for our family to bear and not for the ignorant who see that stems cells can live in a culture dish and then go to 1st grade someday. What else does Mr. Bockhorn believe in, the earth is flat and the earth is the center of the universe, and cavemen were just people with really bad arthritis? Come on now, get educated, see how a PWP (person with Parkinson's) does suffer everyday, and go donate his time to a retirement home and meet the REAL PWP...and then comment. Rick Lujan Albuquerque, NM -----Original Message----- From: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Texas_Parkinsonism Advocate Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2003 3:55 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Excuse me, WHAT did you say? I just could not let this go unanswered... See paragraph six. Resolved, for 2003 Some resolutions for America for the New Year. by Lee Bockhorn 01/02/2003 8:00:00 AM Lee Bockhorn, associate editor IT'S A NEW YEAR, which means it's time for all of us to make our usual bold New Year's resolutions--and promptly break them. So, rather than futilely resolve once again to acquire washboard abs, stop staying up until 3 a.m. most nights, and learn Italian, I've been thinking instead about some resolutions our country should make for 2003. We Americans have always been a can-do people, after all, so collective resolve in the midst of a maddening world should come naturally to us. No doubt I'm forgetting many worthy goals, but consider the following list a modest beginning: -Win the war: Speaking of "resolutions," since Iraq's government has baldly defied every U.N. resolution regarding its behavior since the end of the Gulf War, it's time we resolve to end the problem of Saddam Hussein's regime the only practical way possible: End the regime itself, and be prepared for the difficult but necessary task of establishing a functioning post-Saddam Iraq afterward. In the eyes of the world's thugs, dictators, and terrorists, American strength, resolve, and credibility are now on the line. Look no further than the shenanigans of the North Korean government to see what happens when America ignores gathering dangers and pretends that evil can be placated using a namby-pamby, "carrot and stick" approach--especially one that's all carrot and no stick. Tyrants only understand the stick. Winning a war requires clarity of purpose and clarity of intellect--most especially, the willingness to call a spade a spade. So let's resolve also to admit the obvious. For example: The only thing "special" about our relationship with Saudi Arabia is that its rulers are especially vile and enthusiastic in their support of those who foment hatred of America. Furthermore, we are waging not just a vague war on "terrorism," but a war against the militant and radical form of Islam that inspires it. -Put the Brave New World on hold: Is it too much to ask that Congress take some form of action on cloning this year? A full ban would be best, but at the very least, let's follow the advice of the President's Council on Bioethics and pass a four-year moratorium on both reproductive and so-called "research" cloning. Despite the bathetic statements by various Hollywood celebrities and others, no one currently suffering from Parkinson's or any other disease is going to die from a lack of a cure because of a four-year moratorium. Four years just might give us time to cleanse doublespeak and emotional appeals from the cloning discussion--and permit a reasoned national debate about whether the speculative benefits of research cloning outweigh the damage such research would do to our respect for the dignity of all forms of human life. -Poseurs and loudmouths: Let's resolve to stop paying attention to blowhards, hucksters, and self-important naofs from all parts of the ideological spectrum. Talk to the hand, Jesse Jackson, Ann Coulter, Michael Moore, Bill Moyers, Pat Buchanan, Jimmy Carter, Hollywood windbags, and every smug anti-American professor on our campuses. -"It's Up To You, New York, New York": Two resolutions for the powers that be in New York City: First, junk your new draconian ban on smoking in bars and restaurants. Your city and our country face bigger problems right now than a little second-hand smoke. Second: Resolve to find some architects who actually believe in concepts like beauty and nobility to design the buildings and memorial that will arise at the site of the World Trade Center. The postmodern eyesores featured in the proposals unveiled to date are, to say the least, less than inspiring. We can do better. -Pop culture and more: Let's all resolve to stop listening to the "music" of boy bands and sexpot teen-queen "singers." Let's resolve to stop treating the marital status of people like Jennifer Lopez as a matter of earth-shaking import. (I know I'm asking for a lot here, but a guy can dream, can't he?) And finally--now that you've finished this web column--let's resolve as a nation to stop watching so much TV and spending so much time on the Internet. Do something radical, like read a book, or go outside, or do something for those less fortunate than yourself. There's a whole world out there beyond "reality" shows, video games where you can pretend to commit carjackings, and reading 200 blogs a day. Go discover it, my fellow Americans. Happy New Year! Lee Bockhorn is associate editor at The Weekly Standard. ) Copyright 2002, News Corporation, Weekly Standard, All Rights Reserved. My rebuttal... Dear Mr. Bockhorn, On behalf of my wife, my children, my relatives, my friends and neighbors, my employer, my health care providers, my health care underwriters and the other million-and-a-half fellow Parkinson's patients I wish to thank you. I cannot believe I have been so sorely misled all this time. Misled to believe that my disease is progressively degenerative to the point of total wasting away. I join with you and your New Year's resolution that I will not get any worse, nor will any Parkinson's patient perish because of this disease during a moratorium on cloning at the cellular level, or as you so eloquently commented "so called 'research' cloning." In fact I would hope that we would resolve this moratorium indefinitely so that I could live out my life without fear of dying of Parkinson's. Even though I'm not a Hollywood type, but rather a resident of Bush country, deep in the heart of Texas I resolve that I will no longer proclaim any pitiful remarks about anyone dying from a progressively degenerative and as yet incurable disease. I further resolve not to recount for you the unreasonable cases of anecdotal cure's actually being effected, not only for Parkinson's, but also for diseases like sickle cell anemia, juvenile diabetes, strokes as well as others. I resolve I will not point out to you the unreasonable fact that cloning at the cellular level has been a long established laboratory procedure. And I certainly resolve not to suggest the unreasonable premise that Parkinson's Disease is an idiopathic condition, meaning of course that every American, rational or otherwise, is at risk of contracting this life-changing disease. As a matter of fact, during all of these New Year's resolutions, I'm already feeling much better! My best regards and may you continue to have the best of health, Terry Bowers Texas State Coordinator Parkinson's Action Network If you care to respond to Mr. Bockhorn this is the URL... http://www.weeklystandard.com/misc/Respond.asp?idArticle=2062 You may have to register, but it's painless and free. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn