| Having
One’s Cake and Eating It Too
On July 29, Senate Majority
Leader Bill Frist officially endorsed federal funding
for embryonic stem cell (ESC) research. This issue is
of pivotal importance in the pro-life struggle. Should
the government refuse funding for ESC research, it would
weigh heavily in favor of the belief that an embryo is
a human life, demanding all the rights and privileges
inherent to it.
Current U.S. law is somewhat ambiguous
on the issue. While abortion, cloning and ESC research
remain legal, a criminal who murders a pregnant woman
can be tried for two murders (and rightly so).1
Regrettably, Senator Frist’s statement
further clouded the waters. He first defended the belief
that an embryo is a complete human life, then opined that
the government should fund embryo-killing research. He
stated:
I am pro-life. I believe human
life begins at conception. It is at this moment that
the organism is complete – yes, immature –
but complete. An embryo is nascent human life. It’s
genetically distinct. And it’s biologically human.
It’s living. This position is consistent with
my faith. But, to me, it isn’t just a matter of
faith. It’s a fact of science.
…We were all once embryos…the
human embryo has moral significance and moral worth.
It deserves to be treated with the utmost dignity and
respect.
I also believe
that embryonic stem cell research should be encouraged
and supported.2
His position is in direct conflict
with that of President Bush and is seriously damaging
to the pro-life movement that has been steadily gaining
ground over the past years. It is inconsistent and incoherent.
In light of this, the American TFP web
site is launching an email campaign, asking Senator Frist
to clarify his position. It hopes to generate thousands
of emails posing the following questions to Senator Frist:
1. You have stated that you support
performing fatal experiments on nascent (but complete)
human life. Would you also support such experiments
on mature human life? If not, why not?
2. If you believe nascent human life
can be ethically sacrificed on the altar of scientific
research, why not sacrifice it for the convenience of
the mother as well? And if you feel this is justified,
how can you continue to call yourself a pro-life politician,
benefiting from the votes this position brings with
it?
Senator Frist may not want to
answer these questions. Doing so would certainly alienate
voters. However, at this stage in the game, the politics
of having one’s cake and eating it too no longer
fits the bill. Polarized America cries out for definition
and clarity from its politicians.
“What is truly at question here is not scientific
research,” said American TFP Vice President John
Horvat. “Senator Frist himself admitted that embryonic
stem cell research has not produced any results. This
is politicking, plain and simple.” He added: “Every
American deserves straight forward answers and that’s
what we hope to get from Senator Frist.”
_____________________
You
can join in this campaign and ask Senator Frist to give
straight answers today. It is easy. Here is all you have
to do.
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