In response to Ron Reagan’s quote at the Democratic National Convention last week regarding a federal expansion of embryonic stem cell research – “A few of these folks, needless to say, are just grinding a political ax, and they should be ashamed of themselves”:
I am a mother of a 7-year-old diabetic son. I guess I should be ashamed of myself because I support President Bush’s stand on limiting embryonic stem cell research with federally funded dollars. Tax dollars should not go toward this type of research. A life should not be destroyed to save a life or, in my case, make it more convenient or extend the life of my diabetic son.
I want the best for my son. I support ways to find a cure that do not compromise my moral beliefs. I contribute to research that respects my views on stem cell research. There are research projects that are using stem cells from non-embryonic human sources. Stem cells can be sourced from adults, such as bone marrow, and from the umbilical cords of newborns. Both methods are free from any moral dilemmas of destroying a life.
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that favors embryonic stem cell research and has given alternatives to this type of funding when requested. The money given to JDRF is purely voluntary. Ron Reagan wants to expand the funding by the federal government. This is supported by tax dollars. If private companies with private donations want to do this type of research then that is a different story.
Michael Reagan, President Reagan’s oldest son, recently said that his father “opposed the creation of human embryos for the sole purpose of using their stem cells as possible medical cures.”
Yes, this is political – on both sides. The voters will have to determine if this is an issue to overshadow other, perhaps more pressing national issues.
Liisa Bonner
Bothell
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