I'm a blastocyst, and I vote..!

Often lost in political rhetoric is a good understanding of the factual background information relating to a particular controversy. For example, I was SHOCKED to learn that Saddam Hussain actually did not use stem cells to grow a clone army from Osama Bin Laden's discarded facial hair (it turns out Bin Laden doesn't trim his beard, so the plan was foiled).

In any case, if you would like to learn a little about the issues surrounding embryonic stem cell research, through a thorough but not overly technical presentation, read Farhad Manjoo's excellent piece in Salon.

Understanding the politics involved in this debate makes it clear that the administration's stance is ethically and intellectually untenable. In the abortion debate no quarter is given by either side and conservatives find ready allies among those who feel that full, human life begins at the moment of conception, period. However, even some conservative Republican legislators have defied the president recently, supporting (and passing) a bill to increase federal funding for new embryonic stem cell lines.

The president (along with virtually all Americans) supports the very popular in vitro fertilization techniques which result in the necessary creation and wastage of some unwanted fertilized ova (or "embryonic-Americans", if you prefer). He has also not engaged in rhetoric calling for a ban on embryonic stem cell research, but has simply resisted federal funding for this line of work. Both of these stances, as Manjoo points out, are political decisions arising from a need to consolidate power, get reelected, and further the cause of the Republican party as a whole.

If Bush were truly convinced (as some on the right claim) that a fertilized egg is worthy of the same defense as any other American citizen, then these positions are illogical at best, and cynically manipulative at worst. If you actually feel that abortion is murder, you should work to stop it. Just hiding behind "state's rights" doesn't cut it if your principles are at stake. We don't say "well, arson and kidnapping are bad, so I'll oppose federal funding for them, but if the people of any given state want to support those activities, then that's their business".

The entire civil rights movement was based on the idea that it's not enough to retreat to an integrated northern state and ignore Jim Crow in the south. The Civil Rights act of 1964 spoke loudly, saying that segregation was wrong anywhere in the United States. An intellectually honest pro-life advocate would have to say the same thing about embryonic stem cell research. The current administration doesn't do this, making their principled stance ring hollow.