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DEL.ICIO.USStem cells, and where the passion lies
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Savannah — Possibly you read the piece about the statewide poll on embryonic stem cell research.
The sponsor of the poll, Georgia Biomedical Partnership, is in the midst of a full-court press to fend off any effort by state lawmakers next year to restrict scientific inquiries at research universities and elsewhere.
Which is why the group brought a raft of stem cell specialists — experts in business, science and ethics — to speak to the Georgia Economic Development Association on Thursday morning. Early Thursday morning.
For most, it was a chance to relive their heavy-lidded experience with Biology 101.
The scientists were tentative, as was the crowd — which was overwhelmingly white and conservative, perhaps numbering 300. A spokesman for GEDA made clear that the topic under discussion was controversial, and that the organization would take no position in the fight.
One of the most intriguing aspects of this stem cell poll is that it captures an underlying dynamic of this confrontation between science and some — though not all — theologies.
In American politics over the last 20 years, you’d be hard put to find a case where religious conservatives didn’t dominate every arena they entered. This time, the passion — measured by those who express strong sentiments — is on the other side.
Thursday provided a perfect example.
The last speaker for the stem cell session took the stage slowly, about 9 a.m. He was Ron Grabb, a leader of the Georgia chapter of the Parkinson’s Action Network.
He has the same disease as Michael J. Fox, the actor, but is not as pretty. Grabb, 59, was a Cobb County school teacher who had to quit when his students couldn’t read what he wrote on the blackboard. He was diagnosed five years ago.
Parkinson’s is a neural degenerative disease. Its victims often shake uncontrollably. Other times, the muscles seize up. Silent gaps appear in their speech.
Grabb wore a blue blazer, rumpled khaki pants, and tennis shoes with Velcro fasteners. A stranger had knotted his tie. Grabb is a quiet man. Imagine a steady, matter-of-fact voice, with many pauses while its owner struggles for control.
Here’s a verbatim excerpt of his remarks:
“I have trouble sleeping. Most Parkinson people have trouble sleeping. I got to bed at 10 o ‘clock after a brief work-out — walking down the stairs from where we ate last night.
“I woke up at midnight. I’ve been up since midnight. My body is such that it aches all over. My toes cramp on me. Every time I try to lay down, they wake me up, and I have to get up and move.
“It got to be about 4 o’clock, and I went down to get a newspaper. I made it about halfway down the hall, and at this point was frozen. What was I to do? I had my cell phone with me, but I didn’t want to call anybody.
“So I leaned up against the wall, waited about five minutes. It came back. And I was able to walk to the elevator and get my newspaper.
“And then I get here, and I get where everything’s going smooth. And I see I’m starting to get nervous. When I get nervous, I start shaking. So I decide I’ll use a lapel microphone, so I don’t bother this microphone [on the podium].
“As soon as I’m introduced, my hand starts shaking, so I can’t turn it on. That’s what we have to live with, these kind of things.
“But the best thing is we’ve got vision, we’ve got hope. And we don’t want anybody to deny that hope, that there’s going to be a cure for Parkinson’s.
“The other day I was watching TV, and one of the political ads came on. It was Sonny Perdue’s wife speaking. And she said, “Well, I’ll put that on my Sonny-Do list.� I don’t know, maybe you’ve seen that commercial.
“But what I’d like to do is make a Sonny-Do list, and ask him for a bold new look in the future for the biotech industry in Georgia, and to get behind the people that really need the help. The ones that have been here, the ones that have been living.�
Grabb brought the crowd to its feet, the only speaker to do so.
Comments
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By John Genins
September 22, 2006 11:14 AM | Link to this
Re: Not a John Wayne Grab
My First Wife has PD. I have not seen her in 21 years. I understood PD little and am much more sympathtic thanks to this Grab.
Sure, whatever medical procedure that may help should be Allowed. WHY NOT ?
Respectfully, John Genins Spt 22 2006—Before Rosh Hashamah
By Mary
September 22, 2006 12:25 PM | Link to this
The fury over stem cell research is like the fury over abortion. In theory standing up for an absolute view that life begins at conception sounds righteous and good. But if your daughter has been raped or your mother has parkinson, then the world of black and white suddenly acquires a lot of grey.
By Claude
September 22, 2006 12:59 PM | Link to this
We don’t need more polls on embrionic stem cell research. Most people don’t know very much about it, so asking clueless people for their opinion isn’t going to be enlightening.
What we need for some people in the media to take in interest in the actual science and answer, or at least responsibly address, some basic questions. Where does embrionic stem cell research rank among the promising possibilities for treating disease? How much private money is being spent on this research? Is that enough? The federal government doesn’t need to fund research on everything - only projects that have promise but for whatever reason, can’t get private support. Is the potential of embrionic stem cell research being exaggerated by people who just want to inflict a political defeat on the right-to-life movement? That’s certainly what many social conservatives suspect. Is that suspicion justified?
The current policy on federal funding, announced by President Bush in 2001, allows federal funding for existing embrionic stem cell lines but not for any new lines. That was intended to be a compromise between people who wanted no federal funding at all and people who wanted no restrictions on federal funding. Is that still a workable compromise? If not, why not?
By sinjin
September 22, 2006 2:19 PM | Link to this
Stem Cell Reseach comes to us at a time when we know things for certain ther is no debate. An atheist pro-choice cellular biologist will tell you that life begins at conception.
With the acceptance of this scientific fact, that post conception cells are life, we can proceed in a responsible manner talking about embryonic stem cell research.
The destruction of the embryo is death, it is an act of killing, no theology here just science. So as long as people are clear on what is involved then we can take on the other questions. Many on the pro embryonic stem cell side site stories like the one featured in the PI today. The man with parkinsons is suffering. The desciption of his suffering compells us to do what we can to alleveate it. But please understand what is happening. Embryonic stem cell research causes the death of one human being for the potential benefit of another. You are being asked to say that is fine and it may be OK with some as is the case with abortion in America but it shouldn’t be. Please know fellow readers that this is a manipulation of your good heart. You are shown suffering and you want to help. You see a living man stuggling and asking you to assist him. They are telling you that his life has more value than the lives that are taken in persuit of a cure. Why? Of course he wants to live and work for a cure but who is empowering him, who is using him and driving him to all these events where he pleads with you not to allow him to die because of your shortsightedness. FOLLOW THE MONEY. California’s Governor is placing a $3billion bet on unproven science. NO EVIDENCE backs up their claims of a cure for Parkinsons or any other ailment. Most embryonic stem cell research has been abondoned by private industry. They want you to give them your tax money now. Many Universities including our own in Georgia want a piece of the research budgets that will follow our compassion to help this man with Parkinsons.
My Father died in February from Parkinsons disease. He did not want a single life (a person) to be used as grist in the mill in the search for a cure to his disease. He knew through his faith the value of life and the value of defending ones fellow man. He knew of the spiritual gifts of compassion and charity. For this he died a deffender of Life. and father of a pround son.
By Mary
September 23, 2006 11:16 AM | Link to this
Sinjin,
I am very sorry about the death of your father.
I guess I have a hard time equating a tiny cluster of non-sentient cells with the life of someone I love, just as I have a hard time with people who desperately want to protect a potential life and seem to care so very little about actual lives. The extra cells used for invitro are often just discarded. Why not allow them to perform miracles?
By Edward Beazley
September 26, 2006 4:51 PM | Link to this
Sonny can lie one time,(the flag vote,which got him in office)but NOT twice.IF you lie 1 time you will do it again and again.