Democratic Gov. Brad Henry has until Wednesday to sign or veto a bill that would ban embryonic stem cell research in Oklahoma.
We think Henry should choose the latter.
House Bill 1326, authored by Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, wouldn’t just put regulations on embryonic stem cell research in Oklahoma, it would ban it completely – a move that could possibly shut off great research avenues in the Sooner state and effectively ruin its reputation in the scientific community.
We think the embryonic stem cell research that does take place should be limited to those embryos that were to be destroyed anyway, which the National Institutes of Health recently ruled are the only embryos from which scientists can use cells. These guidelines exclude cells derived from embryos created only for experiments.
There’s no reason the former cells shouldn’t be put to beneficial use that could possibly result in disease treating and curing medical breakthroughs. Since President Barack Obama recently reversed a Bush Administration policy and opened lanes for federal stem-cell research funding, research might not cost the state much money.
To shut off the possibility of such research would do Oklahoma a disservice, so Henry needs to veto the bill.
On the other hand, a House Joint Resolution put forth by Rep. John Enns, R-Enid, that would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to increase funding for adult stem cell research should be signed by the governor.
Adult stem cells have already proven fruitful in producing benefits to patients with more than 70 different cancers and disorders, including diabetes, multiple sclerosis, chronic artery disease and certain kinds of anemia.
Increased funding for this research could help bolster Oklahoma’s research reputation, just as vetoing HB 1326 would.
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Mesocyclone 3 years, 1 month ago
It is my hope that Governor Brad Henry will take the morally right action and sign House Bill 1326 into law. Embryonic stem cell research requires the destruction of a human embryo, which is a human life created and valued by God. It is dehumanizing to objectify the human embryo as a mere "research experiment" to be exploited for the benefit of others, reminiscent of the dehumanizing experiments performed on the Jews during the Nazi Holocaust. I realize of course that there are many who will claim that these human embryos are not human beings in the same sense that the Jews were - yet simple reasoning informs us at the very least that we were all once a tiny embryo ourselves, and we would not be alive today to even debate this issue if scientists had used us for this research while we were still embryos.
And if none of this strikes a chord with anyone, there's still the consideration that those of use who do oppose this research on moral grounds would be forced to subsidize it with our hard-earned tax dollars, in effect forcing us to cooperate with an evil to which we conscientiously object. Embryonic stem cell research goes against the conservative Christian values of most Oklahomans, and I really don't think it's fair to force these citizens to subsidize such controversial research with their tax dollars.
I hope the Governor will take these factors into consideration when he makes his decision concerning HB 1326.
acsooner 3 years, 1 month ago
ROFL, mesocyclone! Your ignorance of this issue and fundamentalist ideologies are laughably evident and I'm wondering if it would even be worth it to argue back. However I am impressed how quickly you go from God to Godwin in your comment!
Does the State belong in your religion? No. So keep religion out of our State.
TakeCrazyOutofOK 3 years, 1 month ago
Mesocyclone, why don't you just include a little note with your tax return of all the things you morally oppose and don't want your tax dollars paying for so that way the rest of us can pay for it and benefit from the many treatments and cures that can possibly come from stem-cell research.
brokenribbon 3 years, 1 month ago
I hope he vetoes this bill. I want Oklahoma to get better. I keep hearing about all these horrible bills that Oklahoma keeps passing, and I'm embarrassed over it. I can't wait to move out of this state. It's a nice place, but I can't stand how big of a part religion plays in politics.
DrFuego 3 years, 1 month ago
Mesocyclone, the different between me and the embryos that have been approved for use is that when I was an embryo, I was growing in a womb. These cells are simply frozen in Petri dishes.
At any rate, if this law is passed, all it would do is send biotechnology companies and medical research away from the state--which would be another impediment to Oklahoma's economic growth.