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    Columnist Jack Lessenberry is the Real "Zombie" on Embryonic Stem Cell Research


    By Andrew Shirvell, Section News
    Posted on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 11:59:10 PM EST

    Writing for the November 7th edition of the Metro Detroit Times, columnist Jack Lessenberry went on the rampage and attacked Right to Life of Michigan as a "group of religious nuts" that has "seized your state government and vowed to choke off important advances in science and medicine."  See: http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=12001

    Say what?

    In his column, entitled, "Enjoy the Dark Ages," Lessenberry goes on the attack because Michigan law provides for civil, criminal and administrative penalties against individuals and entities for intentionally engaging in or attempting to engage in human cloning and prohibits any state funding to go to such efforts.

    Additionally, Michigan law prohibits embryonic stem cell research using cloned embryos and sets forth a series of other prohibitions on the use of human embryos, including the use of a live human embryo for non-therapeutic research, when such research would jeopardize the life or health of the embryo.  However, embryonic stem cell research for the purposes of diagnostic treatment, where the purpose is to determine the health of or preserve the life of an embryo, is legal.

    It should also be emphasized that the aforementioned prohibitions on the killing of embryos for their stem cells relate to what can be done to living embryos within the State of Michigan.  Sadly, from the pro-life perspective, Michigan law does not thwart researchers from acquiring embryonic stem cells from previously killed embryos in other states in order to experiment with such stem cells in Michigan.

    This is an accurate summary of the state of Michigan law with regard to embryonic stem cell research here in Michigan.

    Of course, one would never know that by reading Jack Lessenberry's ridiculous Metro Detroit Times column.

    Lessenberry uses his secular-"progressive" talking points in order to not-so-subtly insinuate that Michigan's laws governing embryonic stem cell research are preventing the state's scientists from finding the miracle cure for diseases from Alzheimer's to Parkinson's.

    The fact that scientists have yet to find even one beneficial cure for human disease as a result of experimentation with embryonic stem cells seems not to matter for Lessenberry.

    What does seem to matter, however, for Lessenberry and his secular-progressive cohorts, is that the taxpayers of Michigan throw millions of dollars into funding unproven research.  

    Despite Lessenberry's touchy rhetoric about finding overnight miracle cures as a result of unrestricted embryonic stem cell research within the state, I honestly think that Lessenberry's agenda is really nothing more than to send the message that embryos are not persons worthy of protection in law.  

    And, in order to stick-it to Right to Life of Michigan and other "religious nuts" (read: the Roman Catholic Church and conservative Christians), Lessenberry wants citizens to pay for it.  

    It is infuriating to think that not only do the Lessenberrys of the world want to advance their perverse pro-culture-of-death agenda, but they ALWAYS want the public to pay for it in order for them to feel as though their wicked agenda is valid.

    The good news is that Right to Life of Michigan has a majority of supporters in the Legislature, even in the Democratic-controlled House of Representative (all of whom Lessenberry derisively refers to as "elected zombies").  Thus, the status quo on embryonic stem cell research here in Michigan will most likely not be upset through legislative means any time soon.

    But there is a growing movement for a ballot initiative to permit the expansion of embryonic stem cell research - with most likely state taxpayer funds.  Lessenberry confidently predicts that if such a ballot proposal goes before the voters in November 2008, "it will win overwhelmingly."

    Really, Mr. Lessenberry?

    He must have written his column prior to receiving the results of the November 6, 2007 general election in New Jersey where voters overwhelmingly turned down a bond initiative that would have permitted that state to borrow $450 million over the next decade in order to finance embryonic stem cell research (53% to 47%).

    In any event, the timing could not have been better in order to prove how ignorant Lessenberry and his pro-death friends truly sound with regard to embryonic stem cell research, the question over its proper source of funding, and public opinion on the matter.

    Would the real "zombies" please stand up?
    __

    On a separate note, I highly encourage you all to see the pro-life-themed movie Bella, if you have not already done so.  This weekend's box office attendance is crucial to keeping it in the movie theaters over the next couple of weeks.  Please see:  http://www.bellathemovie.com

    Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, my weekly column will return Thursday, November 29, 2007.  I plan to discuss the re-organization of Planned Parenthood's Michigan Empire.

    About the author: Andrew Shirvell, Esq., is a pro-life citizen activist who writes a weekly column that is published every Thursday for RightMichigan.com in which he focuses upon Michigan pro-life issues. Shirvell attended Ave Maria School of Law - Ann Arbor, where he served as president of the school's Bioethics Society, from 2004-2005.  He also served as president of Students for Life at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, from 2000-2002.

    < Democrat sugar-daddy Stryker caught in medicare scandal, stealing from seniors to buy MI elections | Rudy then Mitt then Fred with Duncan and Uncle Ron sitting in the corner... but will we get to vote? >
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    Metro Times (none / 0) (#1)
    by Eric T on Sat Nov 17, 2007 at 08:17:14 AM EST
    Metro Times is a free paper, It is free because nobody would even pay a nickel for it. Unless you want to read about homosexuality and beastiality, Metro Times has no substance, it is cover to cover ads. I wouldn't even pick up dogshit with it.  

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