SoCal Theologica: Musings from the West Coast

Alex Chediak

Josh Brahm, Director of Education and Public Relations for Right To Life of Central California, writes an articulate and extremely well-researched and documented post entitled 9 Things the Media Messed Up About the Obama Stem Cell Story. Regardless of how well read you are on the embryonic stem cell debate, I think you will find Brahm’s treatment to be accessible and informative. Here are the 9 Things:

1. Omitting the importance of Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cells
2. Omitting that the diseases everyone is talking about curing (diabetes, Parkinson’s, paralysis) have already been treated with adult stem cells.
3. Perpetuating the myth that stem cell research will likely cure Alzheimer’s disease
4. Omitting the dangers of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research (HESCR)
5. Confusing or combining reproductive cloning with research cloning
6. Creating a false choice that “leftover” embryos will either be used for research or be killed
7. Dehumanizing human embryos
8. Responding to a Strawman argument that pro-lifers are concerned about embryos being misused in laboratories (other than killing them)
9. Bush’s policy restricted tax dollars being used on “all” stem cell research

Read the whole thing.