WISCONSIN NEEDS YOUR STEM CELL SUPPORT—one paragraph, please!
Hi, folks!
You are not going to believe this.
Scott Walker, Wisconsin’s Republican candidate for Governor– opposes embryonic stem cell research.
And he wants to be governor of Wisconsin, where the research began?
Talk about out of touch with citizens you allegedly represent– like Hollywood being against movies!
Repeatedly refusing to answer the question if he would ban the research, Walker apparently made that promise to Pro Life Wisconsin, a group which will not endorse anyone who supports the research.
Walker is reportedly a “personhood” supporter, which (if true) explains everything. Personhood believers are extremist anti-abortion activists who believe every union of sperm and egg are entitled to full citizenship rights, including representation in a court of law. Personhood believers are so extreme that most of the major anti-abortion groups (including the Catholic church) will not associate with them.
Personhood would criminalize all abortion, including cases of incest and rape, at any stage, including morning after. It would ban most forms of birth control. Personhood would criminalize the In Vitro Fertility procedure which has brought joy to millions of childless families—and it would end embryonic stem cell research.
Walker refuses to admit that he is basing his opposition to the research on ideological grounds.
Instead, he makes comments like: “… scientists have shown us the greater possibilities, and the real science movement has been with adult stem cell research, it has not been with embryonic.”
This is verifiably false.
If he is right, why did 518 scientific, medical, and patient groups put their good names behind the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act? That was purely to support embryonic stem cell research.
The opposition? 17 groups, every one religious or ideological. –RSC Republican Study Committee, Rep. Jeb Hensnarling, (R-TX), Chairman, 132 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. Legislative Bulletin, January 10, 2007
(for the complete list of both sides, go to an article I wrote for Daily Kos, https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/19/64022/9921/599/603501)
What can we do to prevent an enemy of research taking charge of Wisconsin?
I had a request from Ed Fallone, a friend and long-term advocate for medical research in Wisconsin, asking that scientists and advocates SEND HIM ONE PARAGRAPH in support of embryonic stem cell research.
His email is: info@wistemcellnow.org
Below is my statement for Ed.
Don Reed’s statement:
As the father of a paralyzed son, Roman Reed, who inspired a California law, Assembly Bill 750, the Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act, embryonic stem cell research (escr) has a deep personal meaning.
“Roman’s Law” provided initial funding for the escr work Geron just took to human trials.
I have seen it work, held in my hands a rat which had been paralyzed but which walked again, thanks to embryonic stem cell research.
It is astonishing to me that Wisconsin, the state where the research began, would even consider a candidate for governor, Scott Walker (R), who is opposed to the research which may let my son walk again.
As I told Wisconsin’s great scientist Jamie Thomson, who began the research, “One day, when my son walks again, I will always believe he took his first steps in Wisconsin.”
On behalf of millions of Americans suffering from chronic disease and disability, I urge Wisconsin to reject the backwards-thinking of Scott Walker, and vote instead for a genuine supporter of the research, Tom Barrett.
–Don C. Reed, citizen-sponsor, Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999, co-chair, Californians for Cures, vice-President, Public Policy, Americans for Cures Foundation (credentials provided for identification purposes only.)
P.S. TWENTY-ONE STEM CELL CRUCIAL RACES
Here are 21 stem cell races, where a friend of the research (in bold) is at risk, and someone who opposes the research is close to : Find your state, or just pick somebody—in every case, we have a person who supports the research versus somebody who doesn’t.
HOUSE RACES: PRO___________ ANTI_____________, DISTRICT
Friends of research come first, as they should—also, they are in bold, which we must be, in their defense.
CA: Pro: McNerney, Anti, Harmer, District 11
CA: Bera vs. Lungren District 3
FL: Garcia vs, Rivera, District 25
IL: Seals vs. Dold, District 10
MN: Clark v. Bachmann, District 8
NH: Shea-Porter v. Guinta, District 01
NV: Titus v. Heck, District 3
NY: Hall v. Hayworth, District 19
OH: Kilroy v. Stivers, District 15
WI: Lassa v. Duffy, District 7
SENATE RACES: PRO____________, ANTI________________
CA: Boxer vs. Fiorina
CO: Bennet vs. Buck
DE: Coons v. Odonnell
KY: Conway vs. Paul
MO: Carnahan vs. Blunt
NH: Hodes vs. Ayotte
NV: Reid vs. Angle
OH: Fisher vs. Portman
PA: Sestak vs. Toomey
WA: Murray vs. Rossi
WI: Feingold vs. Johnson