On March 9, 2009, President Obama extended the ability of the federal government to directly fund the destruction of embryonic human beings in order to advance stem-cell research. We should be clear about what is happening here. The president, while claiming to separate science from politics, has, in fact, separated science from ethics. He has brought the American government into supporting the direct destruction of innocent human life.
While the Catholic Church is in full support of stem-cell research that is ethical and scientifically sound, it is opposed to all research that would use a human being — at whatever stage of development — simply as a means to an end. Embryonic stem-cell research does just this.
In addition, while President Obama declared his opposition to human cloning for purposes of reproduction, he left the door open to human cloning for the purposes of experimentation. In other words, while human beings could be cloned with taxpayer money in order to be exploited and killed for scientific research, they could not be cloned and implanted in the womb of a woman in order to be born. This is science at its very worst.
President Obama claims that his decision sets aside ideology in order to advance sound scientific research. The opposite is actually the truth. This decision by the president is an imposition of a utilitarian ideology, which allows a group of human beings that some believe do not share human dignity, to be used and exploited. Human history, of course, is rife with examples of the strong dominating the weak and defenseless. Doesn't the promise of a democratic America — of respect for the dignity of all — hold us to a higher standard?
Recent breakthroughs in stem-cell research — including the use of adult stem cells — should actually make this question moot. Just last year it was shown that a normal human skin cell could be successfully reprogrammed into an embryonic-like cell. This holds no ethical problems. Yet, there seems to be a headlong rush to do not only what is ethically wrong, but what is likely a scientific dead end.
I pray that Congress will not act to appropriate any funds for embryonic stem-cell research and, in doing so, respect the conscientious objections of millions of American taxpayers who want to preserve, protect and defend the dignity of every human life.
