 |
 |
Charles Meyer wrote: >I respect and agree with those who have written why a "pro-life" position is >not inconsistent with support of fetal cell and stem cell research but I >can't let this one go bye without some comments. >Phil (Lammers), you certainly have the right not to take advantage of the >potential gains made by the fetal cell transplant research and reading your >letter closely I understand your position as that you are speaking for >yourself and trying to convince others rather than impose your views on >others >As someone who has taken risk as a subject in a fetal transplant research >project and someone in a wheelchair as a result of 10 years of PD I must >take strong issue with those who would impose their religious dogma on the >rest of us in ways that impede research. >I resent the fact that such research was banned during the Reagan and Bush >administrations because of people who think they have a monopoly on >morality I have written much here about the need for stem cell research. >I don't think that fetal cell transplants will be the ultimate "cure" only an >important step along the way which is more likely come from stem cells. But >we could be much further along. >I am grateful that the present administration and NIH disagree with you.. >The issue of when human life begins is a religious-philisophical question >without a simple answer. One's faith may provide direction or doctrine but it >is their personal answer not the societies'. Abortion is a personal >decision. It is a tragedy when someone needs to make the choice of whether >to bring a potential human life into the world. But the choice is theirs, >not mine, not yours. They have to answer to their own conscience and to God >not to The Moral Majority or other GRAND INQUISITORS. >It is true that science has made progress in spite of the fact that >religious dogma has often stood in its way. But, it took 500 years to >pardon Galileo and most of us with PD don't have that kind of time to wait.. >This is obviously a hot issue especially with the AAN study results now >published. I think we need to be careful if to discuss and argue about ideas >not attack people. Dear Charlie: I want to express my thanks to you for words which I could not find at this time. Instead of expounding my views, I'll just say that I fully concur with you.