In the last few days I’ve been muttering a lot about the Michael J. Fox’s appearance in a Senate campaign ad for Claire McCaskill (Democrats, Missouri) and the little controversy that sprout out.
I was going to say something about Rush Limbaugh’s declaration and subsequent side-taking comments, but while I was writing, I felt I was just being one of those comments and so I decided to skip that and go straight to the point of the matter.

The research on stem cells is opposed by all those that, in whichever way, think a stem cell is indeed life. Ethic reasons mostly hinted by religious beliefs, brought many people to think that a group of cells is life and has rights.
So, as well as we all condemn experiments on animals (but we still buy products tested on them) and we don’t make experiments on humans in order to cure other humans (oh wait, we do that), they don’t want scientists to make researches on stem cells.
Yes you visitor from Mars, you heard right: in 2006 there is still people that don’t want scientists to make researches on stem cells.

In Medieval times, men and women were still living under the laws of God, pretty much as still does the part of the Muslim world that we -as western civilized citizens- strongly condemn and fear might endanger our freedom and security.
What allowed us to escape from the darkness of Inquisition’s repression, was the light brought to us by scientific discoveries and gradual defeat of ignorance. In this light we have been able to get rid of things like superstition and witchcraft and publicly condemn such practices. We now live taking benefits from those discoveries and inventions to have a better, longer and healthier life, and people is generally very proud to be enlightened and conscious of the achievements of mankind.

In spite of this enlightenment, some people still want to put the good of personal ethic/religious belief, over the good for a human being. This happens with stem cell research as well as with euthanasia, homosexual’s rights and so on.
Now, hearing my argument, a shallow minded anti-science bigot might think that by opposing stem cell research, he indeed protects life thanks to his beliefs. How wrong!

Let’s pretend for a second that a stem cell is life, and I don’t mean life in prospect, I mean actual life, almost like a fetus.
Those who are opposing stem cell research, put the life of a man like Michael J. Fox on a lower level than the life of some stem cells.
They would say that this is not true since they are not condemning Michael’s hopes for nothing, they are just doing this to save innocent maybe-to-be lives. How noble!
Indeed the cells Michael is asking permission to research on, are already there and are not going to be used by anybody, therefor are going to be thrown away. I want to repeat that: the cells Michael is asking permission to research on, are going to be thrown away.
They are doomed. No use for them. Only the long way to the flush-way.

Now let’s regain posses of our minds and stop pretending stem cells are lives with rights and in need to be protected. A bunch of cells is not a life, has no self consciousness, no feelings, no nothing.
They are just cells, like blood or skin.

So how they dare, how they dare in these days and age, to oppose stem cell research?
Moreover how they dare to still use our knowledge, our aspirins and our surgeons and our microwave ovens if they crush Michael’s hope because they believe some cells are life?

Those third millennium ignorants believe that stem cells are life, and so people like Michael can go fuck themselves.
Then lets say it straight: go fuck yourself Michael, fuck you and fuck that friend of yours Muhammad Ali, fuck my best friend’s mother and fuck all the Parkys bastards out there. Sorry Michael, you have been unlucky this round, but don’t worry, God will take care of you in your afterlife. Now you only need to pray to live as little and with as little pain and humiliation as possible because if -God forbid- you will happen to live long in terrible pain, you won’t be allowed to put an end to your suffering.

Please people, think about the fact that if you still oppose stem cell research, you destroy Michael’s hopes.
What is left to Michael and people with similar diseases, if not hope for a cure?
Be reasonable, don’t be selfish imposing your belief on somebody else’s life.
If you really believe in God, let God judge those who are wrong and give Michael a chance for hope.

Michael, for what is worth, I am with you.