ESC

Being a geek, the first thing I think of is the 'escape' key, but - that's not what this is referring to.

It's Embryonic Stem Cell research.

Since I've been diagnosed, I've been reading all I can about Parkinsons disease. That includes blogs from people with Parkinsons (referred to as PWPs). I read this posting; "I Have Parkinson's Disease - Why Are State Legislators Trying to Withhold ESC Research?" and I felt compelled to comment. The comments are moderated, and I neglected to keep a copy of my comments in case they didn't get published. Of course, they didn't get published.

I shouldn't be surprised. If someone submits a comment here that I find offensive, I'll decline to publish it. That's my right. This is my blog.

I still want to comment on the article though, and I have other rights. I have the right to publish my opinion here.

So I will.

Here's my stand on ESC research;

Life begins at conception.
An 'embryo' is a human life, and should be protected as such.
The ESC term is just a way of 'sanitizing' what's really happening; an unwanted human life is destroyed for research.

I would rather die without being cured of Parkinsons than be cured at the expense of another life. I'll have to be careful in the future which treatments I will allow to be used on me.

Judi and I watched the John Travolta movie "Phenomenom" recently. The end of the movie has a related sub-plot; the main character is going to die within days, and doctors ask for permission to research his brain while he's still alive. The potential good for mankind is enormous; the doctors would learn a great deal about the operation of the brain. And the patient would die. When the character refuses, the doctor goes to a judge and has him declared incompetent.

The character ends up escaping, and dies "at home", on his own terms.

We need to ensure that we make the same decisions for embryos, instead of making decisions for 'the good of mankind'