Angelo Paolucci – 8/2/06

This page was last updated on August 2, 2006.

Don’t shackle stem cell effort; Angelo Paolucci; Beaver County Times; August 2, 2006.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“I read two letters last week praising our president for the condemnation of thousands of embryos to the garbage can.

“Interesting.

“Both letters claimed that he took the moral high ground by not letting science use these embryos. Both letters also left out the fact that the embryos, in the vetoed bill, were already created by fertility clinics and have no place to go. They will be thrown away.”

[RWC] I’m sure Mr. Paolucci didn’t notice, but all the kids present when President Bush vetoed the bill “began his or her life as a frozen embryo that was created for in vitro fertilization, but remained unused after the fertility treatments were complete. Each of these children was adopted while still an embryo, and has been blessed with the chance to grow up in a loving family.”

“Both letters were written by people in pro-life organizations. If they were truly pro-life advocates, they would want them to live on in others and help sustain another life.

“Instead, they act childishly and basically say if it’s not our way, it’s no way. That’s the moral high ground?

“Both letters stated that adult stem cells have, to date, worked much better than embryonic stem cells. This is true. However, our scientists have had their hands tied with embryonic stem cells.”

[RWC] How have “our scientists have had their hands tied with embryonic stem cells?” Mr. Paolucci fails to note the Bush administration (actually taxpayers) provided $90 million for research “on embryonic stem cell lines derived from embryos that had already been destroyed.”

As we know, President Bush’s veto only prevents federal funds from being spent on new embryonic stem cell lines. It doesn’t prevent private funding.

“If we look to our past, history states that Einstein was considered a quack early on. Newton’s laws were just fine. Then Einstein came up with the idea of squaring his equation and everything made sense. At that moment, he became the genius we know today.”

[RWC] Mr. Paolucci’s version of Albert Einstein’s history is humorous. Perhaps Mr. Paolucci should get the Jayson Blair award for creative writing. <g> FYI, Einstein’s Nobel Prize in physics came from his paper on the photoelectric effect, not his theory of relativity.

Another FYI. In most cases, Newton’s laws of motion and gravity are still “just fine.”

“What would have happened if we tied his hands? Science, as we know it, would not exist.”

[RWC] I hate to break it to Mr. Paolucci, but no government funded Einstein’s work that led to his early papers and the theory of relativity.

“Maybe, embryonic stem cells are just waiting to be squared by the right person. That may lead to a cure for most, if not all, of our ailments.”

[RWC] As I wrote above, there is nothing stopping research on embryonic stem cells.

Embryonic stem cell research “may lead to a cure for most, if not all, of our ailments?” Not even the most optimistic embryonic stem cell researchers are making this claim.

“No, that’s just silly. Throw them in the garbage.”

[RWC] I wonder if Mr. Paolucci has any clue about this topic or if he wrote based simply on talking points he heard.

One thing Mr. Paolucci didn’t mention was his position on producing embryos for the sole purpose of destroying them for stem cell research. One of the concerns people have about federal funding of embryonic stem cell research is that it would create a market for embryos produced solely for stem cell research.