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# 215 - Thursday August 24, 2006 - DON'T TREAD ON ME!" The Family Rights Issue in Restricting Stem-cell Research Before the stars and stripes became America's flag, one of the earliest symbols of liberty was called the Gadsden flag, (source: Gadsden.info), described by Benjamin Franklin: ".on one of the drums belonging to the marines... there was painted a rattlesnake, with this modest motto under it, "Don't tread on me." The rattlesnake, Franklin said, is "found in no other quarter of the world besides America. "She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders.She never wounds 'till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her. "Liberty or Death: Don't tread on me." In 1775, words like these were not idle chit-chat, which is why Franklin signed his statement, "An American Guesser", when he wrote it in the Pennsylvania Journal. Are there liberties today worth fighting for, even at the risk of death? I think so. Which parent among us would not willingly face death to protect his or her family? If a lion wanted to eat your spouse, for example, would you stand idly by, occasionally offering advice? "Hit him again, hon! Oh, that was a good one"--? Or would you pick up a heavy object like a frying pan, and do what you could? I read the story of a 70-year-old granddad in Africa who literally tackled a lion. The animal bounded into the man's hut, apparently wanting to eat the man's grandson. Grandfather jumped onto the lion's back and clung on for dear life, distracting the animal, while the little boy ran next door and brought back someone with a gun. The grandfather lived, you will be glad to know. None of us can know for sure how brave we would be until the life and death situation takes place. Maybe I would hide under the bed, who knows? For instance, some of the bravest talkers in Government have never been warriors themselves. I saw a list of the Congressmen and Senators who had served in the military, versus those who had not-it was startling. One party (I won't say which one*) almost never had served in the military. They were very brave in volunteering somebody else to go and fight and die, in defense of liberties we all enjoy; they just were too busy to actually get involved themselves. And the other party, including those officials who counseled peace? They were most often the ones who had actually been in a war... My own military record was three years in the Army, volunteer-I courageously protected Arizona from electronically-guided missiles. You will be relieved to know I was one hundred per cent successful, and Fort Huachuca still stands. I feel personally responsible for the absolute lack of electronic missile attacks on Arizona-a success rate that continues to this very day. But while I polished my shoes and built fences and washed dishes and stood guard duty, people I knew went to Viet Nam, and some did not come back. Their sacrifice, like the patriots who died in the Revolutionary War, is beyond my comment. But whatever our experiences in war, or lack of same, I believe we all feel the same way about defending our loved ones. When our sons or daughters get sick, we want the best medicine available. We do not want somebody else's personal opinions to block that medicine. We whose families suffer incurable illness or injury have been patient with Congress and the Senate and the White House. We have offered the best information and advice available. Embryonic stem cell research is supported by (to the best of my knowledge) every major scientific, medical, and educational organization which has taken a position on the issue. Those who oppose the research do so for political or ideological reasons. They can no longer claim they did not understand; they have been systematically reached out to, again and again and again. They have been warned and warned and warned. They who are our leaders must deserve that honor, or be voted out. While they may ignore the advances of medicine for themselves (like those who refuse to accept blood transfusions for religious reasons) it would be a crime for Big Government to deny my family the best medical treatment science can provide. Those who oppose the research cannot be allowed to prevail. One party (with a few exceptions) has decided to block the research, even to criminalize it-an attack on medicine which America has never tolerated before, and never should. The other (with a few exceptions) supports embryonic stem cell research enthusiastically. The safety and well being of our families demands we fight for medical freedom, and elect Senators and Representatives who will do the same. When we work within the democratic system to protect the rights of researchers to develop new and better medical treatments, we are protecting our loved ones. When we register on-line and vote by absentee ballot-- and help those with disabilities to do the same-- we are an active part of America's great decision: to allow stem cell research to go forward, or not. Can anyone who claims to love their family do less? (*Hint: its leader is a man who cannot prove where he was during a year of the time he was supposedly serving in the Texas Air National Guard.) By Don Reed www.stemcellbattles.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn