Letter to the Editor

Vote "No" on Amendment 2

Dear Editor,

It's very important to get out and vote on Nov. 7. I would like to let you know why I will be voting "No!" on Amendment 2, the Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, which purports to ban human cloning when, in fact, it guarantees human cloning. That's right, it will make it against the law to in any way interfere with the cloning of human embryos. It's about somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), or introducing a human body (somatic) cell into an egg. This forms a clone as any embryology textbook will tell you. It's a human clone no matter what you do with it.

The amendment very deceptively calls it a clone only if it is placed into a uterus! What if scientists eventually discover means to grow an embryo in an "artificial womb?" They would be allowed to do so under this law, and no elected official could do anything about it.

Can you envision a room full of babies in jars in various stages of development, awaiting harvesting of various body parts? A human life is formed when a human egg is fertilized, whether by sperm or by SCNT. Those of us who hold human life sacred do not wish to allow experimentation on human embryos. Let's focus on adult stem cells for research. They have provided cures and therapy for over 65 medical conditions while embryonic stem cells have provided none. (And even if they lead to "cures," the moral dilemma remains.) And this brings up the overarching problem of going our merry way without consulting God.

You can't name any of the myriad social problems in the U.S. today that are not running rampant because of leaving God out -- out of government, out of schools, and yes, out of our personal lives. And the judgement of God surely follows disobedience, for individuals and for nations.

Please vote "no" on Amendment 2.

Sincerely,

Dr. Ron Jones

Nevada

Correction:

Due to a technological error, some statistics printed in a letter from Valo Jones were incorrect.

The cost of IVF is between $7,000 and $10,000, not the 7 billion dollars as printed. (a hyphen was missing) Also egg harvesting nets around 10 to 15 eggs.