RH Reality Check Video on Stem Cell Research

Amanda Marcotte and her crew at the RH Reality Check have produced one of their fun little videos on stem cell research and it’s a hoot. Stem cell research isn’t an issue that Marcotte touches on very often and it shows in the video. As is the case with some of the other videos, it’s hard to think Marcotte wins the debate against her strawman opponent. Some classic quotes from Marcotte include:

Why waste an opportunity to advance our scientific knowledge?

Ummm.... because it’s unethical to treat human beings as if they were research materials. If no opportunity to advance our scientific knowledge should be “wasted” then I guess Marcotte wouldn’t have had any problems with the Tuskegee experiments, eh?

Stem cells aren’t people like you or me.

That’s certainly correct but no one is claiming stem cells are people. Prolifers recognize the scientific reality that human embryos are human beings and we think it’s wrong to kill them (or any other human beings) for scientific research. Please try to at least understand our position before attempting to refute it.

Marcotte also seems unaware of the recent breakthroughs in creating induced pluripotent stem cells from adult cells. It always amazes how ignorant some proponents of embryonic stem cell research are regarding this subject. After almost 10 years of hyped promises of Cures! Cures! Cures! and no results, they still think embryonic stem cell research is going to miraculously cure all these diseases. How long will be before they finally wise up to the fact that they’ve been had? In 10 years will we still be hearing about how embryonic stem cell research holds the greatest hope to curing juvenile diabetes and Parkinson’s?

I hope not.