I didn’t really pay much attention to the political atmosphere much here in Missouri purely because I was not going to be voting in it. There was, however, one key issue that did keep my interest and I am happy to say the outcome was a good one. Amendment 2 was voted in favor by the people of Missouri by more than 27,000 votes, according an article in the Post Dispatch. Amendment 2 allows for the protection of all forms of embryonic stem-cell research in the state allowed under federal law.
This amendment had come under heavy scrutiny and political debate, especially by groups such as the Missourians Against Human Cloning. In their opposition campaigns, they would use religious and moral ideals. Politics and religion rarely go well together, throw science in the mix and you surely have a recipe for disaster. What really upsets me about the whole stem cell issue is that people automatically jump to the issue of human cloning.
Do I know if that would happen or not? No, I don’t, but neither do others who say it will happen if stem cell research is allowed. I imagine it’s a sign of the times, just as it was when in-vitro fertilization was a new concept.
I’m no expert in stem cell research, but I have an understanding of how it works. These cells are the precursors for every cell in the body. When stimulated properly they can grow into any adult cell–blood cells, brain cells, muscle cells, liver cells. This isn’t a direct cure for people with incurable diseases, but it is a means to begin searching for one.
Just as in-vitro fertilizations and organ transplants were first met with criticism and problems, I hope that one day stem cell research will be accepted by all as a legitimate therapy and a means of finding cures for diseases.
In other news, nice to see that that the Democrats are now in the majority in the House.
steph
November 8, 2006
yeah honestly i don’t know much about stem cells, except that sick people generally tend to be in favor of them. the whole “cloning” humans things is ridiculous, imo.. i don’t believe that stem cell research would lead in that direction, especially if we just banned that sort of research..
i read that one of the reasons mccaskill won in missouri was that she had the support of michael j fox, which i imagne was because of his parkinson’s. if the research does go forward, i just hope something useful comes of it.