Fundies Decry Obama's War on Blastocysts

[marmar]

from the Family Research Council ('cause every fundie organization has to work the word "family" into its title):



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 6, 2009 CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Maria Donovan, (866) FRC-NEWS


It Must Be Friday Night: Pres. Obama to Issue Deadly Executive Order

Washington D.C. - Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins responded to President Obama's move announced late Friday to overturn President Bush's policy that allowed funding of human embryonic stem cell research without encouraging the destruction of human embryos. In August 2001, President Bush for the first time allowed federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Since that decision, funding has increased to over $40 million per year on human embryonic stem cells, new methods have been developed to create embryonic-like stem cells without harming or destroying human embryos, and adult stem cells have been used to treat over 70 diseases in human patients.

Tony Perkins, President of Family Research Council, released the following statement:

"It must be Friday night because word leaks of yet another deadly executive order by President Obama. Friday night orders include rescinding the Mexico City Policy, eroding conscience protections for health care providers and now word of greenlighting funding for experiments that encourage human embryo destruction. Today's news that President Obama will open the door to direct taxpayer funds for embryonic stem cell research that encourages the destruction of human embryos is a slap in the face to Americans who believe in the dignity of all human life.

"I believe it is unethical to use human life, even young embryonic life, to advance science. While such research is unfortunately legal, taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for experiments that require the destruction of human life. President Obama's policy change is especially troubling given the significant adult stem cell advances that are being used to treat patients now without harming or destroying human embryos.

"Despite the significant advances using adult stem cells to treat patients, and new techniques to create stem cells from any patient, President Obama will choose to direct taxpayer's money to experiments that represent the poorest stem cell science.

"We should be increasing funding for adult stem cell treatments, which have been used to treat patients for over 70 diseases and conditions, and we should fund the historic achievements in reprogramming ordinary skin cells into embryonic-like stem cells without compromising ethics by destroying life.

"I urge President Obama to direct funding not only to the best science, but also to the surest common ground -- research using adult stem cells and stem cells created by reprogramming."



-30-


http://www.frc.org/pressrelease/it-must-be-friday-night--pres-obama-to-issue-deadly-executive-order

[NOW tense]

1. to Mr. Perkins

Go pound sand.

[stray cat]

2. Do they mean the ones the GOP would rather see incinerated as waste from fertility clinics?

If GOP is against their use - they should eliminate fertility clinics who create them and incinerate the extras. Most of us would rather see them used for research than thrown in the trash as it has been done under Bush. We're just dumpster diving.

[bluestateguy]

3. Oh Heavens to Betsy! White Southern Baptist fundamentalists & Pentecostals won't vote for Obama now

What shall we do?!

[rolltideroll]

4. MArmar, love the headline

Sharing the story with family. Great post.

[Canuckistanian]

5. These fundies won't be happy until every square inch of the Earth is populated

And when that happens, everyone should turn to them to be fed.

Subjugation of women, banning birth control, stem cell research, abortions....

[eilen]

6. Is this the same organization that sent out

alerts that there will be a market for abortions (ie. women getting paid to have abortions for the tissue?).

I heard that and asked the woman in my group if she actually believes everything she reads on the internet.

[Ezlivin]

7. Hmmm. Who do I listen to?

Scientists or Tony Perkins?

From 1996 to 2004, Perkins was a Republican member of the East Baton Rouge Parish delegation to the Louisiana House. He authored legislation to require public schools to install Internet filtering software, provide daily silent prayer in Louisiana public schools, to establish the first covenant marriage law, and to authorize the American History Preservation Act, the stated aim of which is to "prevent censorship of America's Christian heritage" in public schools. (Wikipedia)

[sinkingfeeling]

8. I would like for some fundie to just once answer the following question:

What do you say to your god about the 'natural' destruction of over 2/3s of all human zygotes? Is your god unethical as well?

"Actually, the statistics are more grim than Pence admits. Only about 50% of all zygotes successfully implant in the uterine wall and become embryos. And only about 65% of all embryos lead to live births; the rest (about 35%) are lost to natural miscarriage. Therefore, slightly less than one third of all zygotes lead to live births. These statistics come from Gregg Easterbrook in "Abortion and Brain Waves" (2000) and from Morowitz and Trefil, The Facts of Life. Science and the Abortion Controversy (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992). Easterbrook: only about 32.5% (65% of 50%) of all fertilized ovum are carried to term. Morowitz and Trefil: "slightly fewer than a third of all conceptions (72 percent of 45 percent) lead to a fetus that has a chance of developing." Morowitz and Trefil point out that not all fertilizations result in successful cell division -- some fertilized eggs don't even become blastocysts."