Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Where do you stand on stem cell research?

jorgelito · 05-25-2005, 03:34 PM

In reference to those that question why anyone would object, I think the problem comes down to understanding the question inthe first place. There seems to be a lot of confusion and different intrepretations on the subject.

I would agree with ObieX choice #2 but not #1 or #3. Taking stem-cells from an umbilical cord doesn't "seem" to be controversial no more than taking a skin graft from my butt to patch a burn on my arm. I think the "unkown" is a big factor in people's opinions and that there should be more explanation in plain English to educate all of us on how things work or are proposed.

There are extremists on both sides: Those that urge caution before plowing ahead blindly in the name of scientific discovery or those that would automatically deny any research without giving it consideration and those that would throw caution to the wind and plow full speed ahead blindly in the name of scientific discovery while deriding those that have a differing opinion.

I think we can all benefit from more information before we let ourselves be manipulated by politicians from both sides of the aisle trying to pander to extreme views. It sounds like no one is actually sure what stem-cell research entails, to what degree, and what is actually proposed. Thanks to ObieX by the way for providing more info, it does significantly alter opinions.

For example, some people think stem-cell research is the harvesting of aborted fetuses which will lead to some kind of black market trade. Or the deliberate cloning of humans to harvest their cells and tissues etc (kind of Matrix-ish - it creeps me out). Or that the possible benefits just simply aren't there. GW said this himself.

QOUTE: 2. Now to get these cells you dont have to fertilize an egg. There's a process now that is used that extracts a person's DNA. They then take an egg from a woman, and remove the genetic material from the egg. This egg on its own can NOT form into a child, an egg from a woman or a sperm from a man only has half the genetic material needed to create a child. So they take the DNA from one of your cells and they put it into this now empty egg shell, and stimulate it to start to divide. When it starts to divide it becomes stems cells.. a ball of stem cells in the form of a zygote.

This sounds reasonable and nothing like what the press or politicians say it is. Information and education is key.

05-25-2005, 03:34 PM	#25 (permalink)
jorgelito All important elusive independent swing voter... Location: People's Republic of KKKalifornia	In reference to those that question why anyone would object, I think the problem comes down to understanding the question inthe first place. There seems to be a lot of confusion and different intrepretations on the subject. I would agree with ObieX choice #2 but not #1 or #3. Taking stem-cells from an umbilical cord doesn't "seem" to be controversial no more than taking a skin graft from my butt to patch a burn on my arm. I think the "unkown" is a big factor in people's opinions and that there should be more explanation in plain English to educate all of us on how things work or are proposed. There are extremists on both sides: Those that urge caution before plowing ahead blindly in the name of scientific discovery or those that would automatically deny any research without giving it consideration and those that would throw caution to the wind and plow full speed ahead blindly in the name of scientific discovery while deriding those that have a differing opinion. I think we can all benefit from more information before we let ourselves be manipulated by politicians from both sides of the aisle trying to pander to extreme views. It sounds like no one is actually sure what stem-cell research entails, to what degree, and what is actually proposed. Thanks to ObieX by the way for providing more info, it does significantly alter opinions. For example, some people think stem-cell research is the harvesting of aborted fetuses which will lead to some kind of black market trade. Or the deliberate cloning of humans to harvest their cells and tissues etc (kind of Matrix-ish - it creeps me out). Or that the possible benefits just simply aren't there. GW said this himself. QOUTE: 2. Now to get these cells you dont have to fertilize an egg. There's a process now that is used that extracts a person's DNA. They then take an egg from a woman, and remove the genetic material from the egg. This egg on its own can NOT form into a child, an egg from a woman or a sperm from a man only has half the genetic material needed to create a child. So they take the DNA from one of your cells and they put it into this now empty egg shell, and stimulate it to start to divide. When it starts to divide it becomes stems cells.. a ball of stem cells in the form of a zygote. This sounds reasonable and nothing like what the press or politicians say it is. Information and education is key.