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To the Editor: We all want cures
Thursday, October 30, 2008 2:07 PM EDT
Proposal 2 is not about cures – we all want them. The specifics of this proposal are really about human embryo research. It does go too far and I urge you to vote no on 2.
This proposal is about unrestricted science. It is about the killing and cloning of human embryos – a technology like Dolly the sheep. This proposal is about experimentation that will depend on spending your tax dollars. This proposal is so expansive and loosely worded that it will allow for the buying and selling of human embryos and women’s eggs for embryo research.
Under federal law, there are no restrictions on what researchers can do to a human embryo in the laboratory. Proposal 2 supporters want you to think Michigan law is terribly restrictive and wants to strip the state of all control putting it under federal law – which is just not there. The truth is that there is no ban on research using embryonic stem cells in Michigan now – it is completely legal and going on now are our major universities. Michigan does however have a law on the books that says you cannot use live embryos for research purposes and prohibits the creation of human embryos by cloning. Under Proposal 2 these restrictions would be stripped away and human embryos would be reduced to laboratory rats.
A loophole in this proposal will allow cloned embryos to be imported into Michigan for research purposes. An additional loophole would allow buying and selling of embryos for research if it is not technically for stem cell research. Why didn’t they just say no buying or selling of human embryos for any reason – period? Finally the most shocking provision is placed at the bottom. This proposal would prohibit the Legislature or any local government from passing any restriction or regulation on stem cell research. You cannot even “discourage” stem cell research – whatever that means. It would allow radical experiments like those being done in England where cow eggs and human DNA are being mixed to create embryos. It is science run amok!
There are already 73 cures and successful treatments using other kinds of stem cells such as adult stem cells and using these stem cells do not harm or kill humans. There have been 0 successes using human embryo stem cells which does involve killing and cloning.
This proposal is about unrestricted science. It is about the killing and cloning of human embryos – a technology like Dolly the sheep. This proposal is about experimentation that will depend on spending your tax dollars. This proposal is so expansive and loosely worded that it will allow for the buying and selling of human embryos and women’s eggs for embryo research.
Under federal law, there are no restrictions on what researchers can do to a human embryo in the laboratory. Proposal 2 supporters want you to think Michigan law is terribly restrictive and wants to strip the state of all control putting it under federal law – which is just not there. The truth is that there is no ban on research using embryonic stem cells in Michigan now – it is completely legal and going on now are our major universities. Michigan does however have a law on the books that says you cannot use live embryos for research purposes and prohibits the creation of human embryos by cloning. Under Proposal 2 these restrictions would be stripped away and human embryos would be reduced to laboratory rats.
A loophole in this proposal will allow cloned embryos to be imported into Michigan for research purposes. An additional loophole would allow buying and selling of embryos for research if it is not technically for stem cell research. Why didn’t they just say no buying or selling of human embryos for any reason – period? Finally the most shocking provision is placed at the bottom. This proposal would prohibit the Legislature or any local government from passing any restriction or regulation on stem cell research. You cannot even “discourage” stem cell research – whatever that means. It would allow radical experiments like those being done in England where cow eggs and human DNA are being mixed to create embryos. It is science run amok!
There are already 73 cures and successful treatments using other kinds of stem cells such as adult stem cells and using these stem cells do not harm or kill humans. There have been 0 successes using human embryo stem cells which does involve killing and cloning.
- Advertisement -
Proposal 2 goes too far.
Vote No on Proposal 2.
Sherry Johnson
Gaylord
Vote No on Proposal 2.
Sherry Johnson
Gaylord
4 comment(s)
You Gotta Be Kidding wrote on Oct 31, 2008 11:28 PM:
" Just the facts,
I believe your logic is flawed.
You don't want the embryos killed for research, but it's OK to discard these embryos.
So killing them is OK to you, as long as they are not killed for research?
Perhaps there are 0 known treatments from embryonic stem cell research because not enough research has been done?
I hope everyone has read the entire Proposed Amendment , and not just the ballot wording, if you do this you should see most of the objections by Ms. Johnson are unfounded. "
I believe your logic is flawed.
You don't want the embryos killed for research, but it's OK to discard these embryos.
So killing them is OK to you, as long as they are not killed for research?
Perhaps there are 0 known treatments from embryonic stem cell research because not enough research has been done?
I hope everyone has read the entire Proposed Amendment , and not just the ballot wording, if you do this you should see most of the objections by Ms. Johnson are unfounded. "
Just the facts wrote on Oct 31, 2008 2:53 PM:
" Rounder 4,
Thank you for including a list of supporters of Prop 2, it helps me make choices in the future. I would like to add to your statements about McCain and Obama being in support of stem cell research. Right To Life of Michigan also supports stem cell research. MICause of Michigan wants cures and treatments for debilitating diseases just like everyone else. Please note the difference between stem cell research and embryonic stem cell research. Stem cells can be taken from any cell and used for experimentation. These cells can be found in muscle, skin, cord blood and even fat cells. Embryonic stem cell research uses live embryos, and must kill then clone them for experimentation purposes.
Right to Life of Michigan opposes the killing and cloning of human embryos.
Another difference between stem cell research and embryonic stem cell research is the success rate 73 known treatments with stem cell research to 0 with embryonic stem cell research. There is no reason to continue to through money into experimentation that kills embryos and does not work.
Finally, Frankly I am still waiting to be "Blown Away!" If Governor Granholm is for it, I would almost certainly have to oppose it. "
Thank you for including a list of supporters of Prop 2, it helps me make choices in the future. I would like to add to your statements about McCain and Obama being in support of stem cell research. Right To Life of Michigan also supports stem cell research. MICause of Michigan wants cures and treatments for debilitating diseases just like everyone else. Please note the difference between stem cell research and embryonic stem cell research. Stem cells can be taken from any cell and used for experimentation. These cells can be found in muscle, skin, cord blood and even fat cells. Embryonic stem cell research uses live embryos, and must kill then clone them for experimentation purposes.
Right to Life of Michigan opposes the killing and cloning of human embryos.
Another difference between stem cell research and embryonic stem cell research is the success rate 73 known treatments with stem cell research to 0 with embryonic stem cell research. There is no reason to continue to through money into experimentation that kills embryos and does not work.
Finally, Frankly I am still waiting to be "Blown Away!" If Governor Granholm is for it, I would almost certainly have to oppose it. "
rounder4 wrote on Oct 31, 2008 12:15 PM:
" Here are some of the Michigan editorial boards that have endorsed Proposal 2:
The Detroit News
Detroit Free Press
The Flint Journal
The Lansing State Journal
The Battle Creek Enquirer
The Oakland Press
Traverse City Record Eagle
The Macomb Daily
Muskegon Chronicle
The Ann Arbor News
Jackson Citizen Patriot
The State News
The Michigan Daily
Metro Times
Lansing City Pulse
The Spinal Column
The Times Herald
The Michigan Citizen
The Michigan Chronicle
People who have endorsed Proposal 2:
Lou Anna K Simon - President of Michigan State University
Mary Sue Coleman – President of the University of Michigan
Jay Noren – President of Wayne State University
John M.Dunn – President of Western Michigan University
Rick Johnson – Former Republican Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives
Jennifer Granholm
Carl Levin
Both John McCain and Barack Obama support stem cell research.
They all feel Proposal 2 is the right thing for Michigan. "
The Detroit News
Detroit Free Press
The Flint Journal
The Lansing State Journal
The Battle Creek Enquirer
The Oakland Press
Traverse City Record Eagle
The Macomb Daily
Muskegon Chronicle
The Ann Arbor News
Jackson Citizen Patriot
The State News
The Michigan Daily
Metro Times
Lansing City Pulse
The Spinal Column
The Times Herald
The Michigan Citizen
The Michigan Chronicle
People who have endorsed Proposal 2:
Lou Anna K Simon - President of Michigan State University
Mary Sue Coleman – President of the University of Michigan
Jay Noren – President of Wayne State University
John M.Dunn – President of Western Michigan University
Rick Johnson – Former Republican Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives
Jennifer Granholm
Carl Levin
Both John McCain and Barack Obama support stem cell research.
They all feel Proposal 2 is the right thing for Michigan. "
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SelenicMagick wrote on Nov 1, 2008 10:31 AM:
"It is about the killing and cloning of human embryos – a technology like Dolly the sheep." Did ya miss the part of it where they can only use embryos "in excess" of those needed for IVF? In other words embryos that are already scheduled to be "killed". Cloning isn't part of the proposal, is illegal under federal law and has been illegal under federal law since before Dolly the sheep came into existence.
"Michigan does however have a law on the books that says you cannot use live embryos for research purposes and prohibits the creation of human embryos by cloning." There is a Federal law that prohibits the creation of humans by cloning. Changing the state law will not change the Federal law and there's about a 0% chance of the Federal Government changing their minds on the subject of human cloning.
"Embryonic stem cell research uses live embryos, and must kill then clone them for experimentation purposes." Human cloning in the US is illegal and has been since before the creation of Dolly the Sheep. Further the embryos in question are embryos which are already scheduled to be killed.
How about instead of inflammatory rhetoric designed to incite you simply say "I want the ability to control what everyone else does with their bodies including all liquids and solids from their bodies and believe that I am morally entitled to do so by virtue of the fact that everyone else is incapable of deciding what is right and wrong for themselves." It would be closer to truthful. "