Defining Life

Last week, a group calling themselves "Cures Without Cloning" introduced a proposed constitutional amendment to ban some types of embryonic stem cell research in Missouri. The move is an attempt to partially undo an amendment passed last year that protected embryonic stem cell research in the state. However, the new ballot initiative is already being sent back to the drawing board. Now it is being reported that the new language has a serious flaw because the definition of "human" would exclude people who have Down syndrome or other genetic abnormalities. This is a serious problem!

Making it worse is that the group's spokesperson called the criticism just a political smoke screen, but said they would change it. Smokescreen? Tell that to those who are being defined as not human or to their loved ones. I thought this was supposed to be a pro-life movement, which should include caring about everyone alive. The group will change the language but this should make us question if they know what they are doing. If they cannot even define life accurately how can we trust them on stem cell research? In my book, For God's Sake, Shut Up!, I dealt with problems in the rhetoric the last time Missouri dealt with embryonic stem cell research at the ballot box. It seems that round two will also be problematic.