Caplan is an idiot, as anyone can plainly see. Equating embryos to adult humans. Geez, what a huge stretch of logic that requires. He should get PD. Then see how he talks. Nick Caretaker for Oanh, 14 yrs pd rayilynlee wrote: > (CBS) > "Well, when President Bush says he opposes using embryos for stem-cell > research because that would be destroying an embryo, what does it mean > that > embryos are already being destroyed?" Stahl asks Caplan. > > "To me, it means that the president's policy is hypocritical and > deceptive," > he replies. "And I say that deliberately because it is not a secret that > embryos are destroyed at infertility clinics." > > "So we have a policy that says, 'Can't destroy them for research. I, as > president, cannot abide it.' Every day a clinic somewhere, destroys > one - no > one says anything," Caplan adds. > > Asked why the embryos slated for destruction shouldn't be made > available for > research, George says, "The principle that the president laid down and > which > I support is one that says all human beings, irrespective of age or > size or > stage of development or condition of dependency, possess the same human > dignity, because human dignity is inherent." > > "Are you equating these embryos, these frozen embryos, with a > full-grown man > or woman?" Stahl asks. > > "I'm saying they have the dignity of a human being, the way a > full-grown man > or woman has the dignity of a human being," he replies. > > "And you're equating them?" Stahl asks. > > "Oh, sure," George says. "Yeah, I'm equating them in terms of human > dignity." > > What does he mean by "dignity"? > > "I mean, shouldn't simply be thrown out in the trash. Should be treated > respectfully, the way we treat the remains of human beings at later > stages > of development," George explains. > > "Like what? Like have burials?" Stahl asks. > > "Buried or burned," George replies. > > "You're saying, take these little bunches of cells, and have burials for > them?" Stahl asks. > > "Well, you say bunches of cells in order to make burials sound weird," > George says. "But those bunches of cells are very unique bunches of > cells. > Those are human beings in the earliest stages of their natural > development. > You were one once; I was one once." > > "Well, if the president thinks that these are human beings, why is > there no > policy or proposal against this discarding into the trash bin?" Stahl > asks. > "I don't see politicians flocking to regulate fertility clinics." > > "Oh, no, that's certainly true. Politicians aren't flocking," George > says. > > Asked why, he says: "Well, I think politicians are afraid to touch the > issue > of fertility, because they fear that it's the true third rail of American > politics, maybe a more dangerous issue even than Social Security. > Politicians do fear the potential political backlash of trying to > regulate > the industry." > > Art Caplan says no matter what the politicians do, thousands and > thousands > of the excess embryos will end up being destroyed anyway. > > "Freezing them longer and longer and longer is basically to destroy > them," > says Caplan. > > But some people argue these embryos are life. > > "Well some people say they're life, and my response is: you can slowly > destroy them or you can destroy them in a quicker way," Caplan says. > "But to > say that their fate is anything other than destruction is a delusion, and > everybody knows it. There's no escaping it. Once you realize there are > 400,000 frozen embryos, some of which are in bad shape, some of which > have > been there a long time, you can give all the life speeches you want, > they're > not going anywhere. And if you want to feel good about it and say, 'Well, > they're frozen,' then it's like saying 'No one will die in America, > cause we > have cryogenics. We'll freeze everybody's body and then death won't > happen.' > " > > After agonizing for 13 years, the Madsens finally made their decision: > their > four embryos are going to stem-cell research. But George doesn't think > couples like the Madsen's should even have the right to make that > decision. > > "This is a decision that we as a community have to make. It can't be > left to > individual choice to decide," he says. > > "Why not? Why not leave it to individual choice when it comes to an > embryo? > Why isn't that a religious decision for the couples to make?" Stahl asks. > > "It's certainly not a religious decision anymore than infanticide is a > religious decision," George says. "You can find ancient cultures whose > religions authorized infanticide. But that didn't make it right. And that > doesn't mean that we should accept it." > > > 1 | 2 | 3 > > By Rich Bonin ©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. > INSIDE 60 Minutes > Billions Wasted In Iraq? > U.S. Official Says Oversight Was "Nonexistent" > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > 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