In case you somehow missed it, here's the President of the United States - your President and mine - on science:
"I am also signing a Presidential Memorandum directing the head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop a strategy for restoring scientific integrity to government decision making. To ensure that in this new Administration, we base our public policies on the soundest science; that we appoint scientific advisors based on their credentials and experience, not their politics or ideology; and that we are open and honest with the American people about the science behind our decisions. That is how we will harness the power of science to achieve our goals – to preserve our environment and protect our national security; to create the jobs of the future, and live longer, healthier lives."
As you mentioned in your recent press release, it seems that nowadays embryonic stem cells are inferior compared to induced pluripotent stem cells for human therapies. Maybe that situation will change over time; maybe not. Prayer will not answer that question. Scientific research will.
The larger point this issue raises, one far more appropriate for those people who are engaged in setting national policy, is that the ban on ES research was never based on science, rather, it was merely another Bush-era elevation of politics and ideology over reason and rational thinking. Kind of like torture. Or the jacked-up invasion of Iraq. Classifying legal advice as top secret. And so on.
Those days are thankfully behind us.
I urge you to chat with the good folks at UNMC in Omaha and see if their take on ES research is reasonable. They aren't generally regarded as kooks. Despite the apparent inferiority of embryonic stem cells, UNMC thinks this is a Good Thing. Perhaps they know something that we don't.
You can remain a faithful practitioner of your religion without pandering to fear, ignorance and hatred-of-the-other which, unfortunately, was a reliable vote-getter for the past few decades. For example, in this case you could have gotten out in front by finding and funding iPSC research right here in Nebraska. THAT would be something worthy of a press release.
I am looking forward with anticipation that day when you realize that obstruction, carping and denial are not helpful to the country, not helpful to the people of Nebraska and no longer sufficient to win an election.
Now. How about a press release showing what you're doing, not what you're not doing?
No comments:
Post a Comment