Pro-Life responses to Bush's embryonic stem cell research decision
We provide brief comments from various pro-life authorities in response to President George W. Bush's decision Thursday night, August 9th to allow embryonic stem cell research for existing lines or colonies. We also recommend Dr. Frank Joseph's column for this issue, entitled The Bishops' righteousness rings hollow!, as well as our editorial in this issue The art of compromise!. We also have three special columns for this issue: Philip Lawler's commentary Opening the door to moral disaster! in Guest Column One, and An unholy compromise by syndicated columnist Cal Thomas in Guest Column Two, and Gary L. Morella's open letter to Bush The end does not justify the means in Guest Column Three. All of these are on the topic this very important issue of Bush's decision on Embryonic Stem Cell Research - a very hot issue!
"The Poison Tree"
It's in the nature of granting a reprieve to the innocent. Since we're doing that I think that it's a good thing that we're not going to kill embryos today. I guess I was disappointed because the rationale for that decision, in spite of all the language about agonizing and so forth wasn't clear. And I think it's very clear. This actually is a very simple and straight forward moral issue. He [Bush] didn't even try. I think he made a decision which he thinks is going to help him survive politically. But the clear case is very simple. Even if there are benefits from killing the innocent, we don't have the right to derive those benefits in that fashion. And that is as simple as that. I don't care that at the death cams at Auschwitz some doctor thought he was going to help cure dysentery by doing experiments on the inmates at the death camps. That evil cannot be justified for the common good.
It seems to me we fight one battle at a time and the battle I would like to see fought right now is to clearly establish the principle that we still respect the Declaration of Independence, that we are, all of us, created equal, that some scientific board does not get to decide and impoe its view of inequality based on whatever benefits we think we can derive from where the line is drawn. In the past when human self interest is is put in competition with principle in that fashion, principle ends up losing. I think unfortunately what the president did tonight was put principle on the pathway to extinction, just as in the 19th century our founders hoped to put slavery on the course of extinction, but unfortunately it was revived by economics...
Look at the speech as a whole which goes into a whole bunch of stuff about the benefits that, at the moment, are questionable. So what do you do? You allow research based on the fruit of the poison tree to continue so that scientists can be given the opportunity to do what? To prove that these lines of research will be fruitful that pressure can build against the principle of respect life.
When we say 'existing lines' that includes lines that are the result of the destruction of embryos. That's what I mean by the fruit of the poison tree. The tree is poison. You eat the fruit and you have already accepted the violation of principle. And that means that basically what he has done is not only leave the door open, but inviting the possibility that fruitfulness from those lines of research will actually arm those who are trying to destroy the principle.
I'm about principle. What I see in this decision is a willingness to eat the fruit of principles that have been destroyed rather than to stand firm against the violation of those principles.
Former Ambassador Dr. Alan Keyes, excerpts from his appearance on Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, 8-9-01
Coarsening of attitudes and values
"President Bush's effort to prevent federal support for future destructive research involving human embryos is a step toward the rediscovery of an honest moral vocabulary in our country. But the decision to federally fund research that has its genesis in the destruction of human embryos could lead to a coarsening of our American attitude toward the dignity and value of human life."
Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, OFM Cap., Shepherd of the Archdiocese of Denver
Read my lips: no new stem cells!
"Countless millions of real human persons will lose their lives as a direct consequence of President Bush's decision to authorize federal funding for stem cell research. Bush was aiming for a Solomon image, but came closer to looking like Salome. Basically, his decision says, 'if babies are already dead, the U.S. has no problem funding research on their body parts.' By refusing to stand firm on his previously stated principles, President Bush has stepped aside and cleared the path for those who demand unrestricted freedom to dissect and discard the tiniest and most vulnerable of our fellow human beings. George W.'s doing the same thing to babies and pro-lifers that his father did to taxes and taxpayers. He's hoping we'll have short memories. I'm betting he's wrong."
Judie Brown, President of American Life League
Morally unacceptable
"President Bush has reaffirmed his support for a ban on human cloning and
other policies that deserve support in their own right. However, the
trade-off he has announced is morally unacceptable: The federal
government, for the first time in history, will support research that
relies on the destruction of some defenseless human beings for possible
benefit to others. However such a decision is hedged about with
qualifications, it allows our nation's research enterprise to cultivate a
disrespect for human life.
"Researchers who want to pursue destructive embryo research and their
allies in Congress have already rejected such limits, saying that these
limits will interfere with efforts to turn embryonic stem cell research
into possible medical treatments. The President's policy may therefore
prove to be as unworkable as it is morally wrong, ultimately serving only
those whose goal is unlimited embryo research.
"We hope and pray that President Bush will return to a principled stand
against treating some human lives as nothing more than objects to be
manipulated and destroyed for research purposes. As we face a new century
of powerful and sometimes even frightening advances in biotechnology, we
must help ensure that our technical advances will serve rather than demean
our very humanity."
Bishop Joseph A. Fiorenza, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Government now will fund killers of embryos!
"Last night the President asked the question, 'are these frozen embryos
human life and therefore something precious to be protected?' Of
course! The fact that we as a nation cannot answer that question is
the most deeply disturbing aspect of this whole debate. Human life
begins at fertilization, Mr. President! Human life is precious! And
even though the Government is not funding the killing of these
embryos, it is now funding their killers.
"President Bush also asked a second question: 'if they are going to be
destroyed anyway, shouldn't they be used for a greater good?' The fact
that we even ask this question means that we have not accepted the
sanctity of all human life. America's recent history of abortion on
demand, the wanton destruction of innocent children in the womb, is a
testimony to our wholesale rejection of the dignity of the human
person. Human life is an end in itself, there is no greater good than
its protection; it is not a commodity to be used even for the most
compassionate of reasons. When we lose sight of this fundamental truth
we are sliding further down the road to barbarism. We have an
obligation to protect all human life!
"For this reason we cannot endorse any decision that funds research on
human beings, albeit limited in scope. The President's decision to
fund embryonic research, even in this limited fashion, undermines the
fundamental principle of the sanctity of human life and devalues the
very life that we are hoping to assist through medical science.
Father Thomas Euteneuer, President, Human Life International
Genetic cannibalism
"In many ways, this is a Solomon-like decision except that in this case, a scientist has already split the baby in half. While we respect the President’s commitment to protecting the right to life, we are deeply troubled by the implications of this decision for the future. We agree with the position taken by Kansas Senator Sam Brownback who has stated ‘We simply do not need to do any research which relies on the destruction of human beings.’
"The President has correctly noted that stem cells can be harvested from a number of other sources including adult cells, umbilical cords that are discarded after babies are born, and from human placentas. TVC has learned in dealing with the baby body parts industry, that these 'mad' scientists are never satisified. They always wanted more fresh tissue—eyes, livers, hearts, and limbs from aborted babies. We can expect the ‘mad’ scientists working on stem cell research to be the same way.
"The creation of human embryo farms as a source of stem cell tissue is already in the works. Advanced Cell Technology in Worcester, Massachusetts has indicated it is prepared to set up embryo farms for this purpose. These embryos will be deliberately created to be killed.
"An unborn human is not of less value than a Parkinson’s victim who needs treatment. We empathize with the families of Parkinson’s victims. My grandmother died of Parkinson’s so I understand the devastating consequences of this disease. However, we are already dealing with the grisly baby body parts industry involving abortion clinics marketing the remains of aborted babies to researchers. We must not continue this slide into Nazism by deliberately creating life to kill it. This is immoral and must be condemned.
"TVC is aware of the healing potential of stem cells to cure a number of diseases, but stem cells should be obtained from other sources—not human embryos. We fought a Civil War to free men and women who were considered to be property—not humans. We should not create a whole new class of slaves who are created simply to kill them for Soylent Green. This is genetic cannibalism, not scientific advancement."
Andrea Lafferty, Executive Director of Traditional Values Coalition
Wrong in every way!
"President Bush made the wrong decision morally,
scientifically, legally, and politically by approving federal funds for
embryonic stem cell research. President Bush's announcement contradicts
his past statements calling for the rebuilding of a culture of life. He
has embraced the cause of science in a way that disrespects life in its
earliest stages. Embryonic stem cell research in the name of the
'greatest public good' is wrong."
Phyllis Schlafly, Executive Director of the EAGLE Forum
Government stalking the wrong stem
"For the millions of Americans who agree with
President Bush that 'human life is a sacred gift from our Creator,'
yesterday's decision was deeply disappointing. The proposal to allow
federal funding for experimentation on stem cells obtained through the
destruction of living human embryos is a mistake. Allowing the use of stem
cells obtained from human embryos to receive federal funding, however
limited or defined, opens a new door that may prove difficult to close. As
the author of the Responsible Stem Cell Research Act of 2001 (H.R. 2096),
I remain confident that science will continue to show that stem cells
obtained from non-embryonic sources, including umbilical cord blood,
placentas and plentiful adult tissues, are the quickest, most promising
and only ethical route to achieve significant medical advances."
Congressman Chris Smith, Staunch pro-life Roman Catholic in House representing New Jersey's 4th District
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