Georgia General Assembly Blows Chance

At Good Stem Cell Research Bill

© Dr. Gary D. Lemmons, April 9, 2006

Many people, including President Bush and me, are not comfortable with the ethics of destroying human embryos to create human stem cells for medical research.  While it is clear that stem cell research needs to continue, there is no getting around that new human stem cell populations would have to come from destroyed embryos.  That implies abortion.  While I am NOT “anti-abortion,” I AM “pro-life.”  That ought to set my liberal and conservative friends to thinking for a little while!

The notion of purposely destroying a human embryo for any reason other than to save the mother’s life or to terminate the result of a crime (rape or incest) is not appropriate for me.  I am not opposed to the use of stem cells generated from the embryos destroyed in these two instances.  Neither am I opposed to the use of stem cells generated from embryos that have naturally aborted (miscarriages, etc.)

Currently, there is another source of stem cells that is available for scientists, and while not all of the needed stem cell generations can be obtained from this source, many can.  I am talking about the stem cells generated from blood in the umbilical cord and placenta.  These nonembryonic sources provide stem cells that have been found valuable in researching treatments for Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, spinal injuries, and cancer.

The Georgia General Assembly had an opportunity to move to support nonembryonic research this year.  Senator David Shafer (R-Duluth) introduced legislation that would have encouraged research in this area of non-controversial stem cell investigation.  Senate Bill 596, which was named Keone’s Law (after Keone Penn, a sickle-cell anemia survivor from Snellville, GA, who was treated with nonembryonic stem cells) would have created a statewide stem cell bank at one of the major state universities for the storage and maintenance of nonembryonic stem cells.   Additionally, the legislation would have provided for pregnant women to receive information as to the value of donating post-natal tissue (umbilical cords and placenta) and fluid (vaginal blood from the birthing process) to this bank.   Additionally, under the proposed law, Georgians would have been afforded an opportunity to contribute a portion of their annual Georgia Income Tax (perhaps a dollar, etc.) to this effort by checking a box on their annual Georgia Income Tax Return.

Senator Shafer’s proposed legislation was good legislation, and it should have been passed.  However, the General Assembly failed to act upon it.  The bill came up on the last day of the session.  While the Legislature convened at 10:00 A.M. that day, S. B. 596, as amended, was not passed by the Georgia House of Representatives until 11:26 P.M. that night.  It was rushed to the Senate for final approval, but, there, Senator Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) was filibustering another bill and would not relinquish the well of the Senate for any other motion than that of adjournment.  When the clock ran out the General Assembly adjourned (thank God) and the bill was dead. (Thank God that the General Assembly adjourned, not that the bill was dead!)

This was no body’s fault; this was everybody’s fault!

While I disagree with Neil Boortz when he says that no where can we find a larger number of losers than in the Georgia General Assembly, except, perhaps, in a prison, the behavior of our elected representatives and senators during their annual session is often disturbing.  Over the years I have visited the General Assembly as a part of the public.  More recently, I have watched their sessions televised over the Internet.  There is a lot of down time in the operation of the two bodies.  I blame Speaker Richardson and Lt. Gov. Taylor.  They are the presiding officers and they should take a more assertive role in assuring that the time of the House and the Senate, when in session, is spent in a more effective manner.

All of this goes to support my consistent theme.   You and I, as citizens, need to keep a thumb on our legislators.  We need to let them know that we are watching.  Equally important, we need to vote in every election, and, if we feel it is appropriate, we need to make monetary contributions to those candidates that most closely represent our views.  Finally, we need to adopt the policy of “two terms at the most.”  Unless an incumbent is facing Freddie Fool as an opponent, he or she should never be elected to office for more than two terms!

Now for the moment of bitter truth.

If I knew that stem cells from aborted embryos was the only way that my life could be saved, the decision would be easy.  I would bid all of you "Adieu." 

However, if my grandson's or granddaughter's life could only be saved by that process, I suspect I would feel much differently.  If that makes me a hypocrite, so be it.