WASHINGTON, July 12, 2001 (LSN.ca) – The media has come out as one of the strongest lobbyists in favour of funding research involving the destructive use of human embryos. Numerous editorials favouring funding for the unethical research were published with few papers dissenting. While the Washington Times came out in favour of ethical stem cell use not involving the destructive use of human embryos, the following papers all carried editorials favouring the experimental research over the right to life:
Albany Times Union (https://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyKey=61671&category=O) Atlanta Journal-Constitution (https://www.accessatlanta.com/partners/ajc/epaper/editions/thursday/opinion_b34460a766d410080085.html) Boston Globe Des Moines Register (https://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c5917686/15186266.html) Fresno Bee (https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/story/0,1733,280891,00.html) Houston Chronicle (https://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/editorial/964925) Newsday (https://www.newsday.com/coverage/current/editorial/thursday/d2926.htmn) Omaha World-Herald (https://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_div=3&u_hdg=4&u_fuse=editorial&u_sid=164068) Peoria Journal Star (https://pjstar.com/news/editorials/cop240a.html) Seattle Times (https://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis/web/vortex/display?slug=celled08&date=20010708) Wall Street Journal
Today at 11am Survivors, a national pro-life youth organization, and the Washington D.C. based Christian Defense Coalition teamed up to picket the office of the Department of Health & Human Services, in Santa Ana, Calif. Prior to the demonstration the group suggested it may conduct a sit-in at the office. The demonstrators challenged President Bush to enforce the Dickey Amendment which prohibits funding for human embryo research, and warned that President Bush and the Republican Party will lose pro-life and pro-family support in the mid-term elections if funding goes through.
The Wall Street Journal reports today that Nancy Reagan, the wife of former President Ronald Reagan, has come out in support of embryonic stem-cell research. Her endorsement of the controversial research, has been criticized as emotionally driven since the controversial research has been promoted as supposedly having particular medical promise for such diseases as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, the latter with which President Reagan is afflicted.
Former Presidential candidate Gary Bauer came out against embryonic stem cell research saying: “Human life, unable to defend itself, is being used as a commodity. This is a moral tragedy of the highest order. We must stop the trafficking in human life.” Bauer, president of American Values, a non-profit, pro-family advocacy organization, continued: “I urge the Bush Administration to act now to prevent any American from being forced to subsidize research that attacks the basic sanctity and worth of each human being. A pro-life President can do no less.”