|
Wringing
Sense
Out
of
Nonsense
Yesterday
we
talked
about
a
wonderful
essay
by
Eric
Cohen
that
appeared
in
the
May
25
edition
of
nationalreview.com.
Cohen
carefully
unpacked
all
the
rationales
offered
for
why
Congress
should
fund
research
that
encourages
the
destruction
of
human
embryos
and
found
them
all
abysmally
lacking.
As
you
may
remember
the
fourth
of
four
reasons
was
supposedly
that
the
public
is
gaga
for
having
its
tax
dollars
used
to
rip
apart
human
embryos
to
extract
their
stem
cells.
While
that's
a
fair
and
accurate
description
of
what
happens
to
the
human
embryo,
polling
questions
not
only
typically
ignore
what
takes
place,
they
are
swaddled
in
misleading
rhetoric.
This produces
results
that
can
be
spun
to
signal
that
the
public
is
behind
such
proposals.
Cohen
pointed
out,
"Those
being
questioned
are
given
a
vastly
exaggerated
impression
of
the
promise
of
the
science.
And
they
are
never
told
the
research
involves
the
destruction
of
human
embryos--in
fact,
the
way
the
poll
frames
the
issue
almost
suggests
the
research
is
an
alternative
to
the
destruction
of
embryos."
Current
policy
is
omitted,
a
policy
that
"already
funds
this
research,
and
funds
it
in
ways
that
do
not
encourage
the
further
destruction
of
embryos."
Following
the
misrepresentations
and
omissions,
people
are
asked
misleading
questions,
Cohen
writes.
But
what
happens
if
you
carefully
talk
about
what
is
involved
AND
discuss
morally
unobjectionable
alternatives?
This
took
place
in
telephone
poll
conducted
May
19-23,
a
survey
of
1,022
adults
commissioned
by
the
Secretariat
for
Pro-Life
Activities
of
the
U.S.
Conference
of
Catholic
Bishops
(USCCB).
The
USCCB
reported
Wednesday
that
"48%
of
Americans
oppose
federal
funding
of
stem
cell
research
that
requires
destroying
human
embryos,
while
only
39%
support
such
funding."
Furthermore,
"When
survey
respondents
were
informed
that
scientists
disagree
on
whether
stem
cells
from
embryos,
or
from
adult
tissues
and
other
alternative
sources,
may
end
up
being
most
successful
in
treating
diseases,
57%
favored
funding
only
the
research
avenues
that
do
not
harm
the
donor;
only
24%
favored
funding
all
stem
cell
research,
including
the
type
that
involves
destroying
embryos."
In
addition,
81%
opposed
human
cloning,
the
highest
figure
in
three
years.
"Congress
should
not
be
misled
on
this
important
issue,"
said
Richard
M.
Doerflinger,
Deputy
Director
of
the
USCCB's
Secretariat
for
Pro-Life
Activities.
"Most
Americans
do
not
support
federally
funded
research
that
requires
destroying
human
embryos.
Our
opponents
also
know
this.
No
doubt
this
is
why
their
public
statements
–
and
many
of
their
own
opinion
polls
–
either
ignore
or
misrepresent
what
this
research
involves,
while
irresponsibly
hyping
its
potential
for
miracle
cures."
If
you
have
any
questions
or
comments,
please
write
Dave
Andrusko
at
dandrusko@nrlc.org. |
