Posted on 07/28/2004 12:15:25 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
WASHINGTON – Ron Reagan, son of the late Republican president, last night at the Democratic National Convention called on Americans to "cast a vote for embryonic stem-cell research" when they go to the polls in November.
But his older brother, Mike Reagan, says Ron doesn't know what he's talking about and is simply being used by the Democrats.
"I would love for Ron to get involved in the Alzheimers' Foundation or the Parkinson's Disease Foundation," said Michael Reagan on his nationally syndicated talk radio show. " I would love for that to happen. Ron Reagan, my brother – I love him. I would just hope he becomes more knowledgeable on the issue and honors our father."
Ron Reagan delivered what he called a "non-political" speech at the Democratic convention in Boston last night. But it was widely perceived as an endorsement speech for John Kerry and the Democrats.
"He is basically saying vote for Kerry and there will be stem-cell research," said Mike Reagan. "What I am saying is that there is already stem-cell research taking place. The media would have you believe – and my brother would have you believe – that stem-cell research is not going on. But it is."
Ron Reagan told the 20,000 people assembled at the convention that stem-cell research may lead to the "greatest medical breakthrough in our or in any lifetime."
In 2001, President Bush limited the use of federal funds for embryonic stem cell research, citing moral and ethical concerns about performing experiments with fertilized human embryos. Proponents of such research insist those restrictions interfere with efforts to develop new treatments for a variety of diseases, including Alzheimer's, which slowly killed the former president.
However, adult stem-cell treatments have actually shown far more potential in treating dread diseases. Preliminary research involving embryonic stem-cell research has been associated with the development of tumors.
"Now, there are those who would stand in the way of this remarkable future," Ron Reagan said, speaking of potential discoveries, "who would deny the federal funding so crucial to basic research. A few of these folks, needless to say, are just grinding a political axe and they should be ashamed of themselves."
Ron Reagan told the delegates that the choice in November is more than selecting one ticket over another.
"We can choose between the future and the past," he said, "between reason and ignorance, between true compassion and mere ideology."
Ron Reagan prefaced his remarks by saying: "A few of you may be surprised to see someone with my last name showing up to speak at a Democratic convention. Let me assure you, I am not here to make a political speech, and the topic at hand should not – must not – have anything to do with partisanship."
He called embryonic stem-cell research the "greatest medical breakthrough in our or in any lifetime."
The issue of stem-cell research took center stage for the Reagan family because of Nancy Reagan's public support. The former first lady, along with other members of the family, has been very vocal in expressing the belief that the scientific community should be allowed to explore this controversial avenue in the search for a cure for Alzheimer's and other diseases.
While Ron Reagan, his mother, Nancy, and his sister, Patti, have weighed in in favor of embryonic stem-cell research, one member of the family opposes it.
As Michael Reagan put it recently: "The media continue to report that the Reagan family is in favor of stem cell research, when the truth is that two members of the family have been long time foes of this process of manufacturing human beings – my dad, Ronald Reagan during his lifetime, and me."
"The media should keep in mind that we are also members of the Reagan family, and my father, as I do, opposed the creation of human embryos for the sole purpose of using their stem cells as possible medical cures," said Michael Reagan.
Michael Reagan said embryonic stem-cell research could not have saved his father from the ordeal of Alzheimer's disease.
"This is junk science at its worst," he said.
God Bless you and your family, Mike! May his hand guide you through this time of division provided by democrats seeking nothing more than extension of power.
Little Ronnie, President Reagan's girly-man son, should put on his tights and stick to being a ballet dancer. He was behind the door when brains were given out.
Amen.
Hi John! Good to see you again.
What really ticks me off about this speech is the fact that he was claiming NOT to be political and chastizing those who he said were grinding their political axes! What a bunch of phooey! His father was not just a Republican, he was one of the most admired men of his time! Out of respect for his father he could have gone to the Republican convention and delivered his plea. He doesn't do anything in the name of alzheimer's disease. He even used the example of a girl with diabetes rather than saying anything about his own father's illness. And he talks about others grinding a political ax? Frankly, I am glad that this freak is not a Republican. He only has the microphone because of his father's name, and he uses it to embarrass that legacy. I am just sorry to see that neither he nor Patti have kids. It's unlikely they will ever really understand the depth of their ignorance.
I just saw an interesting story. In China they are using Stem Cells on Paralyzed people. Barry Peterson from CBS news did a story about this today. Wise Young was interviewed in the piece. He's Christpher Reeve's doctor. But here's what really stood out in the story. The Chinese doctor who's injecting the stem cells in paralyzed people. He's getting the Stem Cells from aborted babies. Ofcourse you cant do that in the U.S. They showed paralyzed people from the U.S going to China to have the Stem Cells injected in them. It should be interesting the results.
Hi backatya, my friend -- great to see you, too :-)
Does anyone recollest any statement of principle, uttered by RR himself, that would tend--explicitly, or by inference--to illustrate what his stand on the issue was...or would be?
Addendum: I think he would not be so selfish; or that he would consider it an affront to be the cause--in any small or large way-- of the quiet misery of abortion.
To Reagan, abortion was not merely a political matter; it was a moral matter — actually, it was a Biblical matter. In a January 1984 speech to the National Religious Broadcasters convention, he said: "God's most blessed gift to his family is the gift of life. He sent us the Prince of Peace as a babe in the manger." Like the 19th-century clergy who led the movement to abolish slavery, Reagan as a Christian saw himself as similarly duty-bound to fight abortion, which he equated with slavery in terms of moral outrage — an analogy that in turn outraged the New York Times. He made the analogy to the religious broadcasters, and quoted Jesus Christ in the process:
"This nation fought a terrible war so that black Americans would be guaranteed their God-given rights. Abraham Lincoln recognized that we could not survive as a free land when some could decide whether others should be free or slaves. Well, today another question begs to be asked: How can we survive as a free nation when some decide that others are not fit to live and should be done away with? "I believe no challenge is more important to the character of America than restoring the right to life to all human beings. Without that right, no other rights have meaning. 'Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for such is the kingdom of God.'"
Together, Reagan assured the religious broadcasters, they could convince their fellow countrymen that America "should, can, and will preserve God's greatest gift": the right to life. In his 1986 State of the Union address, Reagan lamented: "Today there is a wound in our national conscience. America will never be whole as long as the right to life granted by our Creator is denied to the unborn."
This is a picture of a second-trimester baby,
the kind that China is taking the stem cells from for their research.
Would you like to see a picture of this baby after abortion?
Abortion is the only way the stems cells can be harvested from him or her.
Ron Reagan Jr. is a tool, but I support stem-cell research. And if you had someone in your family who was paryalized or suffering from altzheimers (Or fear suffering from it yourself one day), you might too.
And no...They don't need to be taken from second trimester babies...They can be taken from newly formed embryos. And personally, I don't have a problem with that.
I do!!
And my mom has had Alzheimers for over 5 years.
I very much have a problem with that.
Ok.
Ron Reagan Jr. will go down in history as having low character, he will reap what he sows. His father however will go down in history as a great man with character.
Is it possible to get good stem cells from people with low IQ's? I don't have a problem with that either. Save us a lot of Social Security funds as well.
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