I Opinion

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Editorial

Stem Cell Hysteria

W

hen the first dinosaur stalled the bill, refusing to hold
hearings or move it forward in
bones were discov-
ered in England about any way. This is an obvious con-
cession to the religious right,
200 years ago, scientists did not
which
insists that such research
dare publish their findings until
they could be reconciled with the would result in the destruction
of embryos created solely for
story of Noah's flood in Genesis.
that purpose.
After all, if every anim a l had
Supporters of Meisner's meas-
been saved on the Ark, how
could these remains be account- ure say these objections are false
and misleading. Any embryos
ed for?
used in this research would be
Although years have passed,
left over from in-vitro fertiliza-
the intrusion of religion into sci-
tion procedures, they say, and
ence remains a hot-button issue.
would be destroyed anyhow.
Attempts to introduce creation-
While there is no state ban on
ism and intelligent design into
using embryonic stem cells
high school biology classes have
developed elsewhere or on using
been the focus of lawsuits that
adult stem cells, scientists insist
went all the way to the U.S.
that there is an inadequate num-
Supreme Court.
ber of such lines available.
Michigan is now seeing the
Moreover, many of the lines-that
same scenario being played out
originated in other states come
with stem-cell research. A bill
with
patents already attached
introduced by State Rep. Andrew
and
adult
stem cells seem to be
Meisner, D-Ferndale, would lift
less
adaptable
in regenerating
state restrictions on this promis-
damaged
cells.
ing medical advance. It was given
The upshot is that Michigan, a
a boost by Michigan Gov.
Jennifer Granholm in her State of state that has always prided itself
on the quality of its medical
the State message last month.
research, is falling farther behind
But the Michigan Legislature's
places that have no such legal
Republican leadership has .

barriers. The economic ramifica-
tions are important, but so are
the potential benefits to those
suffering from spinal cord
injuries and chronic diseases
such as Parkinson's and multiple
sclerosis — ailments that may
be treatable through stem cells.
If there were a clear danger
this bill would result in the for-
mation of embryo factories, that
would be a deeply troubling
moral issue. But there is no rea-
sonable evidence that would
occur. All Michigan scientists
want is some protection for con-
ducting research that could now
land them in prison.
There is too much at stake
here to permit irrational fears to
set state policy. Meisner's bill
should be moved forward to a
vote in the Michigan
Legislature.
That way, Michigan voters
would at least have the chance
to identify Lansing's medical
obstructionists. ❑

Dry Bones

REALITY
TEST

THE PEN IS
MIGHTIER
THAN THE
SWORD.

WORLDWIDE,
RIOTING, FIRE-SETTING,
FLAG-BURNING, STONE-
THROWING, BLOOD-
THIRSTY HYSTERICAL
MOBS?

E-mail letters df no more than

150 words to
letters@thejewishnews.com .

www.drybonesblo .blogspot.com

Reality Check

Wishing For The Moon

L

ocal opinion leaders
keep saying that Detroit
must sustain the
momentum" that carried the
city through the Super Bowl.
I have no idea what that
means; and I really don't think
they do, either.
Are they suggesting that
Roger Penske be named czar of
Motown? Because that's what it
seems to come down to.
The mayor and his cast of
bumblers stayed out of the way
and a chief executive who knew
how to get things done was put
in charge. He also had a lot of
funds to work with, a luxury
that is denied the city's usual
leaders.
.But now we are back to the
future. Detroit will once again
be the place that chose a mayor
who ran a low, suburb-baiting
campaign. A place that regards

( C

people like Penske with deep
suspicion as interlopers and
opportunists.
A place where race trumps
everything else, and anyone
who questions that attitude is
called- a racist.
It would be nice to believe
that the positive image Detroit
sent out to the world was some-
thing that is now a permanent
fixture. It was refreshing to
hear and read all the good
reports, to see the crowds
flocking to Woodward Avenue.
It was more than that. It was
a vision of what could be.
The local TV stations .even
changed their usual hysterical
pitch when the city was under a
winter storm warning the night
before the game. Instead of cry-
ing havoc and shrieking disas-
ter, they told viewers not to
alter plans to come downtown

leave not a rack
because, after all,
behind."
it's winter. -
Because the illusion
That, to me, was
is
gone and all the old
the funniest part of
familiar
problems are
a week in which the
unresolved. Awful
general tone of
schools. Middle class
local reportage was
George Cantor flight. Clueless leader-
"Wheeeee, it's a
ship. Eviscerated neigh-
Columnist
party." My big fear
borhoods. Uneven or
was that they were
nonexistent services.
going to end up by holding
Inadequate tax base.
some kind of tacky victory
Maybe people who hadn't
parade for Jerome Bettis in
been downtown for years got a
Detroit.
taste and will want to go back
Lines from Shakespeare keep
when no special occasion beck-
running through my head,
ons. Maybe funding for the big
though; Prospero's famous
projects — the Book Cadillac,
speech from The Tempest. The
David Whitney Building,
one that starts "Our revels now
Broderick Tower condos = will
are ended ..." and goes on to
loosen up.
describe "the baseless fabric of
Maybe the riverwalk will cre-
this vision, the cloud capp'd
ate a Chicago-style waterfront
towers, the gorgeous palaces ...
of parks and residences all the
shall dissolve and like this
way
from downtown to Belle
insubstantial pageant faded

iN

Isle. Could happen.
But I have monitored hopes
like these for my entire career
in Detroit journalism and
watched them come crashing
down. And, please don't blame
news media negativity. I know
of no one in local media who
wants the city to fail or fall into
receivership. But, aside from
Super Bowl week, we report
what we see . and not what we
wish.
It was a wonderful party, but
now the party's over. Winter
has weeks to run and the
dream dances tantalizingly out
of reach. Sometimes close
enough to touch, but never to
grasp. E

George Cantor's e-mail address is

gcantor614@aol.com .

February 16 • 2006

35

