A Choice...Reason or Ignorance

Ron Reagan Jr. offered this choice in his passionate speech before the Democratic National Convention on the topic of Embryonic Stem Cell (ESC) research. A choice in our election in November between reason or ignorance.

Reagan was offered the prime time speaking slot to tweak the Republicans, of course. To stick a knife into his old man's name. And to take shots at George W. Bush, who the Democrats accuse of blocking miracle cures just around the corner to foist his own ignorant religious beliefs on the country. The bastard! George W. Bush must be evil. Ron Reagan Jr. said so.

Reagan made the simplified case. People have diseases. Miracle cures are just around the corner. The cures are only being stopped by the ignorant, like super meany George Bush, who can't tell the difference between a clump of stem cells and a full grown person. Why, oh why, can't everyone see how reasonable ESC is? Why aren't we pouring in the federal dollars to line up and destroy embryos in the petri dishes? Why is Bush so stupid and mean?

The case was made to the convention. The delegates gushed their approval. Ron Reagan was their new champion.

The esteemed Ron Reagan Jr.

Noted Scientist and Physician. Nobel prize winner in genetics and neurologic research. Gifted deep thinker and noted embryologist.

Oh, wait. Ron Reagan has none of those credentials. In fact, what exactly does he do? I mean besides being a professional besmircher of his father's legacy?

Democrats - why are you listening to Ron Reagan Jr on a topic like Stem Cell Research? You're emabarrassing yourself nodding along like puppets  at his sophmoric appeal to "reason".

Ron Reagan Jr. and I have about equal credentials to opine on the subject of Stem Cell Research. We both watch TV and we both read newspapers. He pretends to be a journalist, I write a blog. His father died from a terrible disease. My grandfather died from the same disease. We're even.

Oh, wait - he has special empathy for the subject. He said so. Because he knows a little girl with diabetes who could benefit from a cure.

Oh, wait - I have diabetes and could benefit from a cure. I guess I'm one up on young Mr. Reagan.

Okay. For the know-nothing bobbleheads on the convention floor who were swooning at young Ron's profound choice between reason and ignorance, let's look at the two key facts.

First, there are deep and unavoidable moral issues here that Reagan just swept aside. He may not give pause to the thought of destroying life to benefit life, but many people including me do and you can't just sweep it aside and accuse those who disagree with you of being ignorant. Or bad people.

Second, he's wrong. There is plenty of informed medical opinion, if you care to read it, outside of the realm of those with a political axe to grind that indicates that Embryonic Stem Cell Research is non-operative and that there is no miracle cure around the corner. In fact, there have been no research projects with ESC's that have had positive results. There have been studies with adverse results that had to be halted. There have been positive studies with Adult Stem Cells, which do not have the moral issues attached. But ESC has not panned out. Want proof? George Bush did not make stem cell research illegal, he just limited federal funding. Private funding is fully legal and permissable. If ESC held the hope of miracle cures around the corner for diabetes, private companies would be rushing to fund it and patent it. They're not. Why? Because it doesn't work. The few who want to keep pushing it have to go for government funding because the private funders know it doesn't work. That's your proof.

So why do Ron Reagan Jr. and the know-nothings keep pushing failed Embryonic Stem Cell research over promising Adult Stem Cell research and distort the hope of imminent cures? Because it fits with the abortion-at-all-costs agenda of his crowd that dominates the Democratic National Convention. If they make it noble to destroy embryos to advance science they further legitimize abortion.

Okay, bobbleheads on the floor of the convention- keep swooning at the the profound young Ronnie. I, on the other hand, have no problem choosing between reason and ignorance.