Strom Thurmond in Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush

On Abortion: Benefit of saving lives outweighs destroying stem cells

[Pro-life groups] pointed out that each tiny stem cell cluster had the potential to grow into a person. Many bioethicists acknowledged that most frozen embryos would not become children. Yet they argued that there was a moral difference between allowing embryos to die naturally and proactively ending their lives. Sanctioning the destruction of life to save life, they argued, crossed into dangerous moral territory.

I heard some opinions that surprised me. Dr. Dan Callahan, a thoughtful ethicist, told m he was pro-choice on abortion but against embryonic stem cell research. He believed there was a moral distinction between aborting a baby for the direct benefit of its mother and destroying an embryo for the vague and indirect purpose of scientific research. Orrin Hatch and Strom Thurmond, two of the most staunchly pro-life members of the Senate, supported federal funding for embryonic stem cell research because they thought the benefit of saving lives outweighed the cost of destroying embryos.

Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p.115 Nov 9, 2010

The above quotations are from Decision Points, by George W. Bush . Click here for other excerpts from Decision Points, by George W. Bush . Click here for other excerpts by Strom Thurmond. Click here for a profile of Strom Thurmond.
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org! Click for details -- or send donations to: 1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140 E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org (We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Aug 18, 2011