michaeledward
Grandmaster
I understand the Dickey Amendment says that embryos can not be created for research purposes. It is my understanding that the Dickey Amendment does not apply to the hundreds of thousands of embryos created, and stored, and eventually to be discard in the fertility labs across the country.
I have no qualifications in science. But, I do know that a vast amount of scientific research in this country takes place in college universities. Because those colleges receive federal funding, coupled with Bush's executive order, they can not perform the types of research that would be possible in absence of that executive order. Currently, they have to build a financially clean lab - completely free of any federal monies - to perform this research. Such requirements and inefficiencies make the research close enough to impossible as to prohibit it completely, in my uneducated opinion.
As for Mr. Fox's statement, I see clauses such as "chance for hope" and "opposes expanding" and they seem clear to me. Maybe those words mean something different in Missouri.
But, where I come from, 'expanding' means making bigger, doing more. It does not mean nothing, never. I don't see that as a distortion of any kind.
Also, 'chance' indicates clearly there are no guarantees. It tells me we aren't sure where this will lead, but we believe that it may lead somewhere. I think that is part of the nature of science; sometimes we aren't even aware of the breakthroughs when we hit them. Certainly, we shouldn't be restricting science based on our fear of how that science might be used. That way leads us right back to the 13th century.
P.S. - I'ld love a tour of your facility. But, I'd pass on the microbrews, I'm alcoholic.
I have no qualifications in science. But, I do know that a vast amount of scientific research in this country takes place in college universities. Because those colleges receive federal funding, coupled with Bush's executive order, they can not perform the types of research that would be possible in absence of that executive order. Currently, they have to build a financially clean lab - completely free of any federal monies - to perform this research. Such requirements and inefficiencies make the research close enough to impossible as to prohibit it completely, in my uneducated opinion.
As for Mr. Fox's statement, I see clauses such as "chance for hope" and "opposes expanding" and they seem clear to me. Maybe those words mean something different in Missouri.
But, where I come from, 'expanding' means making bigger, doing more. It does not mean nothing, never. I don't see that as a distortion of any kind.
Also, 'chance' indicates clearly there are no guarantees. It tells me we aren't sure where this will lead, but we believe that it may lead somewhere. I think that is part of the nature of science; sometimes we aren't even aware of the breakthroughs when we hit them. Certainly, we shouldn't be restricting science based on our fear of how that science might be used. That way leads us right back to the 13th century.
P.S. - I'ld love a tour of your facility. But, I'd pass on the microbrews, I'm alcoholic.
