Editorial

Even though I've written on the embryonic stem cells controversy recently, I am prompted to attack this issue again. Why? Because of all the publicity surrounding the comments made by former First Lady Nancy Reagan encouraging embryonic stem cell research.

Most of us might suppose that Nancy Reagan knew her husband best. Yet, she may have been so involved emotionally in taking care of the former president that she was not able to form an objective opinion. It is heart-wrenching to watch a loved one suffer and die, particularly from Alzheimer's Disease.

I'm sure Nancy Reagan herself suffered as she watched her husband deteriorate. Yet from what we know of Ronald Reagan, he faced the disease bravely and showed us how to die with dignity.

Would Ronald Reagan have approved destroying human embryos for stem-cell research? Others feel he would not have done so.

Former president's thoughts. Writing in the New York Times, William P. Clark, national security advisor and secretary of the Interior in the Reagan Administration, revealed something the late president told Clark at the end of his presidency. Reagan said one of the things he regretted most was that politics and circumstances had prevented him from making more progress in restoring protection for unborn human life.

Clark wrote: "Aside from moral principle, President Reagan would also have questioned picking the people's pocket to support commercial research. He understood the significance of putting the imprimatur of the nation, through public financing, behind questionable research. He consistently opposed federal support for the destruction of innocent human life."

In fact, Clark points out that after the charter expired for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare's ethical advisory board - which in the 1970s supported destructive research on human embryos - President Reagan began a ban on federal financing of embryo research that he held to throughout his presidency.

Not effective treatment. A news release from Wisconsin Right to Life points to an article by Wesley J. Smith in the Weekly Standard. It highlights the fact that researchers have known for some time that embryonic stem cells will not be an effective treatment for Alzheimer's Disease. Smith points out that people like Nancy Reagan have been given false information while scientists do nothing to correct the misinformation.

He says, "This is a scandal. Misrepresentation by omission corrupts one of the primary purposes of science, which is to provide society objective information about the state of scientific knowledge without regard to the political consequences. Such data then serves as a foundation for crucial moral analysis about whether and how controversial fields of scientific inquiry should be regulated, a debate in which all are entitled to participate. But we can't do so intelligently if we are not told the truth."

Ethical alternatives. There is plenty of ethical research that can be done without destroying human embryos. Much progress has been done using adult stem cells resulting in practical applications in treating diseases.

As I have said before, the end does not justify the means. And I believe Ronald Reagan would have agreed with me.

Mary C. Uhler, editor

Mailbag

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Protect the sanctity of marriage

To the editor:

As Catholics, we need to stand together to protect the sanctity of one man/one woman marriage in our state. With activist judges trying to redefine marriage, we the faithful need to enact an amendment to our State Constitution clearly defining marriage as one man and one woman. Not the judges, not the politicians, but the voters of our state should have the opportunity to vote on this critical issue affecting our families.

A statewide petition drive is underway sponsored by the Family Research Institute. If you would like to get petitions to circulate among your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, and church, please contact the Family Research Institute at P.O. Box 2075, Madison, WI 53701. Their toll-free number is 1-888-378-7395 or petitions may be downloaded from their Web site: www.fri-wi.org

In some states, pro-family advocates have collected over 500,000 signatures because they realize marriage - the longstanding bedrock institution of society - has been threatened by liberal Hollywood-style principles.

Make no mistake about it. We are in pre-Roe v. Wade days on this critical issue, so the time to act is now! For the sake of our grandchildren and future generations, please make protecting marriage a personal priority.

Mrs. Marie Gestrich, Beloit

Stand up and be counted for life

To the editor:

Saddam Hussein is accused of murdering over 400,000 of his own people in Iraq, perhaps more. In his 30 years as dictator that averages about 36 deaths per day. He needs to be brought to justice.

In the United States the statistics are much higher. Over 40 million lives have been snuffed out in 30 years, an average of about 3,600 per day. These lives are the Holy Innocents, the unborn.

Recently Senator John Kerry stated he believes that life begins at conception and he personally is against abortion. Yet he voted against a bill that would stop a savage procedure, partial-birth abortion.

If one does not stand up for the right to life, his stand for other human rights comes under scrutiny. You cannot build a just society while tolerating the most fundamental injustice, death of human life at its very beginning. The unborn are the poorest of the poor, the weakest of the weak. They have no voice but ours.

This is not a Republican/Democrat issue. This is a Life/Death issue. We must be silent no more. We must stand up and be counted - 3,600 a day!

Janet Hughey, Sun Prairie

Thanks for pilgrims' contribution

Editor's note: Following is a letter written to Fr. Tait Schroeder, the Madison priest who served as spiritual director for the recent diocesan Pilgrimage of Prayer and Praise to Rome. Members of the pilgrimage group gave a contribution to the Missionaries of Charity for their work with the poor in Rome.

To Fr. Tait Schroeder:

"Joy is prayer. Joy is strength. Joy is love. Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. God loves a cheerful giver." (Blessed Teresa of Calcutta)

I would like to express my gratitude and thanks for your generous gift by which you wanted to share the joy of loving with our poor. Our thanksgiving is our prayer for you and all who shared with you. Pray for us, too.

Your sisters in Christ,
Sr. M. Mark, M.C., and all the community
Missionaries of Charity, Casa Dona di Maria-Vatican, Rome