A Responsibility To Do The Right Thing

To the Editor:

Thank you, God! I am an American, and because I am I have the right and also an obligation to speak out against embryonic stem cell research. I take major issue with Rep Nancy Johnson’s commentary and her support of financing research on stem cells retrieved from embryos. She said in her commentary in the June 17, 2005 Newtown Bee that “we have the moral responsibility to pursue every ethical avenue of discovery [to cure diseases like juvenile diabetes].”

As a nurse, I agree that we should do whatever can be done to develop cures for diseases, but using an ethically and morally right process. Use of embryonic stem cells for research is wrong. Killing one innocent human being, the embryo, to save someone else can never be right. Many times I have heard the rationalization that we should use the stem cells derived from surplus embryos created for fertility treatment because they will otherwise be discarded. Nancy Johnson also offered this as a rationale for embryonic stem cell use.

Yes, I guess we have a dilemma regarding the future for these embryos. That is, however, the topic for another debate. Just because we have these little lives frozen in time it doesn’t mean we should sacrifice them for someone else, especially when stem cells from umbilical cords can serve the same purpose in research. It also appears that adult stem cells, though fewer in number, are more useful in fighting some diseases than recently thought. For some reason, this point is not made clear to everyone, and instead the generic language of “stem cells” is thrown around and no differentiation is made between adult, umbilical cord, and embryonic stem cells.

Unfortunately, in this legislative session the State of Connecticut passed SB 934 and Governor Rell signed it into law (Public Act 05-149). I had asked Julia Wasserman and John McKinney (our state representative and senator) to amend the bill to remove the statement that had to do with embryonic stem cells. That did not happen. I do commend Julia Wasserman on her vote against the bill and I am less than pleased with John McKinney’s vote for the bill. I regret that I did not get this information out to you before the state voted in SB 934, but it may not be too late on the federal level.

As Americans we have the responsibility to do the right thing, and I am therefore asking you to contact Rep Nancy Johnson (202-225-4476), Senator Christopher Dodd (202-224-2823) and Senator Joseph Lieberman (202-224-4041) to vote against federal support for use of embryonic stem cells in research.

Karen Banks

43 West Street, Newtown                                               June 21, 2005