Moloch, the Caananite demon that devoured children, is setting up a new part-time residence in Massachusetts. The state Legislature is preparing to debate an embryonic stem cell research bill. Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican and a Mormon whose wife happens to have multiple sclerosis (which some say could be cured by ESCR), opposes funding that would create new embryos for research, but would allow it for “leftover” in vitro fertilization embryos. He has a long row to hoe. The former, and very powerful, Speaker of the House Tom Finneran, a Catholic once lionized as a strong pro-lifer, recently became the head of the Mass. Biotechnology Council, which is pro-ESCR, and said his former opposition to ESCR was not due to Catholic beliefs, but ignorance of the “benefits” of ESCR.
You won’t find anything about this on the web sites of the four Catholic dioceses in the state, and I haven’t seen anything yet in the Boston archdiocesan newspaper, The Pilot. While it hasn’t even shown up yet on the woefully out-of-date web site of the Mass. Catholic Conference, I did receive an email blast from them urging people to contact their state senators.
1) Please call the State House at 617-722-2000, ask to be transferred to the offices of your state senator and your state representative. Make the calls early next week and leave this or a similar message with the staff of your senator and representative: “I support ethical research that does not kill human beings, thus I oppose Senate Bill 25 because it endorses the killing of human embryos. Please promote research that we all can live with!” Leave your name and street address. To find out who your elected officials are, go to: [url=http://www.wheredoivotema.com]http://www.wheredoivotema.com[/url] or call your town hall. You can also find direct phone numbers and email addresses online at http://www.mass.gov/legis/memmenuh.htm (House) and http://www.mass.gov/legis/memmenus.htm (Senate).
2) We need testimony from articulate individuals who have illnesses, diseases or disabilities and yet who would refuse any treatments developed by any means that harmed human life. Your witness is a powerful reminder that curing should always be caring. If you are willing to testify at the hearing, and can spend some time Feb. 16 in the hearing room waiting to be heard, please contact the Massachusetts Catholic Conference staff ASAP at 617-367-6060 or by email at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Don’t just sit there; contact your representatives.
Well, another republican who has been talked up as a 2008 presidential candidate has apparently taken his first step toward compromising his “deeply held” pro-life convictions. He’s trying to hide it by parsing embryos much the same way our “pro-life” president has. Richard Gephardt did a similar tap dance in the early 80’s, and look where he ended up.
There’s something ugly going on in the Republican Party. Pro-lifers, watch your backs.