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# 369 Tuesday, September 18, 2007 - UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI PRESIDENT TAKES A STAND Living in California right now, is like living in the future. When you attend any of the meetings of the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (ICOC), you will see dedicated men and women struggling to work out issues and answers on stem cell research funding. Often, they disagree, sometimes vigorously; but always, always, they are reaching for the light. One day, leadership across America and the world will be as supportive. But that time is not now. In Missouri, for example, the people of the "Show Me" state went through an enormous political struggle in 2006, trying to pass Amendment 2, which stated that any research technique allowed by federal law would also be allowed in Missouri. What was all the fuss about? SCNT, Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, a method of making stem cells, involves no sperm, no implantation in the womb, no womb, and absolutely no babies-except maybe a child being healed. Missouri, like California, had the great debate. Both sides were heard to the point of exhaustion. And the result was a victory for research for cure. Missouri voted to support the right of her scientists to do research in American freedom. However, immediately after the election, the opposition started again. The anti-research side is currently trying for a "do-over", a constitutional amendment to erase the vote they did not like. They cranked up their propaganda machine, came up with the "Cures without Cloning Amendment Initiative", and began trashing the research once more. In the short run, they have achieved what they no doubt regard as a victory, having delayed the construction of the new Stowers Medical Institute, which billion-dollar investment might have helped millions of suffering people. I guess the Religious Right has nothing better to do with its time than to try and shut down research which might cure cancer, paralysis, AIDS and Alzheimer's. It would be natural for the folks on our side to be tired of fighting. Fortunately, Missourians are not fond of being cheated. They are speaking up, and that is an example to us all. One day, (and may that day be soon), there will be cures from embryonic stem cell research and Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT). When that happens, all the useless trash-talk from the opposition will be recognized as meaningless noise, and candidates who supported such ignorance will find themselves swept into the dustbin of history. The opposition will be silent: as they are now on blood transfusions, heart transplants, vaccines, x-rays, anesthetics, and all the other medical advances they originally tried to prohibit. But that day is not now. If we want to win in this generation, not a hundred years from now, we need to be a little noisier, get a bit more vocal about our beliefs. Now, I am very brave about recommending hard work and courage on someone else's part. My job does not depend on keeping everybody happy. This little blog costs me nothing (and Karen Miner does the hard work of it) so I can just babble away and people are free to ignore me. But what if you or I were President of a college? Such leaders are taken very seriously-every public word they say is recorded. Understandably, a lot of college leaders never commit themselves on any public issue. They just smile broadly and say, "Oh, that's politics, no comment!". Life is easier that way. Of course, it also means the anti-research side will prevail. Which is why I was delighted to find the following act of courage: Statement from University of Missouri Interim President Gordon H. Lamb regarding proposed anti-research constitutional amendment: The Cures without Cloning Amendment initiative states that "no taxpayer dollars should be used to research or experiment using a human organism or any part of a human organism derived from cloning or attempting to clone a human being." This amendment assaults Missouri and Missouri's primary public research university, the University of Missouri. In their effort to eliminate somatic cell nuclear transfer research, the group championing this amendment is taking the first step to controlling and impeding Missouri's research agenda and potential for future research. And they are doing so in a way that could permanently destroy the future of research in the state and in its universities. The research being done at the University of Missouri and being planned for the future neither creates life, as the amendment initiative alleges, nor takes the next step of introducing life into a woman's womb. Instead, the research is a small but critical part of life sciences research that has the potential to give life to people who have serious life-threatening diseases, such as diabetes, Parkinson's, ALS and others, including devastating spinal injuries. Research is a core mission of the university. Through our research, we explore many avenues of discovery from optical implants that may give vision to the blind, social research to create better living environments, artistic research and creative activities, assistance to businesses to help our citizens, and other research that affects every area of study and life. Another mission is teaching, and we, long ago, protected the teaching environment from an intrusion similar to this current intrusion into our research activities. Academic freedom - the freedom to teach approved subjects in the manner best determined by the professor - protects us from destructive intrusion that would jeopardize the education of our students. Though any of us may take issue, from time to time, with the manner of teaching or the subject of a class discussion, we understand that the latitude given to faculty is important in the search for truth and the ability of faculty to lead students to a critical awareness and understanding of the subject. Research must have the same protection, a protection from the few who, seeking to reinforce their own personal biases, would shut down research done by highly competent and dedicated scientists. The university should never be subjected to this type of intrusion and control. It is antithetical to the principles on which the university as a whole is founded, and on which the University of Missouri was founded. This amendment initiative should be rejected."-September 7, 2007 On behalf of America's one hundred million citizens who suffer from incurable illness or injury, thank you, President Gordon H. Lamb. (And a special appreciation for the wonderful advocacy efforts of Diane Wyshack, who daily locates and shares much valuable information on stem cell research.) Don Reed www.stemcellbattles.com Rayilyn Brown Board Member AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson's Foundation [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn