“Would it be easier to impose authoritarianism over the right than it would the left?”

Great question!  karl posted this in a comment and I think it deserves it’s own thread.  A linguist named Lakoff wrote a book I read last year, “Don’t think of an Elephant“, where he delves into the parent-child dynamic at play on the right in terms of policy both foreign and domestic.  I’m going to read the book mentioned here…read on:

DEAN: Goldwater Republicanism is really R.I.P. It’s been put to rest by most of the people who are now active in moving the movement further to the right than it’s ever been. I think that Senator [Goldwater], before he departed, was very distressed with Conservatism. In fact, it was our conversations back in 1994 that started this book. That’s really where I began. We wanted to find answers to the question, “Why were Republicans acting as they were?” — Why Conservatives had taken over the party and were being followed as easily as they were in taking the party where [Goldwater] didn’t want it to go.

OLBERMANN: What did you find? — In less than the 200 pages that the book goes into.

DEAN: I ran into a massive study that has really been going on 50 years now by academics. They’ve never really shared this with the general public. It’s a remarkable analysis of the authoritarian personality. Both those who are inclined to follow leaders and those who jump in front and want to be the leaders. It was not the opinion of social scientists. It was information they drew by questioning large numbers of people — hundreds of thousands of people — in anonymous testing where [the subjects] conceded their innermost feelings and reactions to things. And it came out that most of these people were pre-qualified to be conservatives and this, did indeed, fit with the authoritarian personality.

OLBERMANN: Did the studies indicate that this really has anything to do with the political point of view? Would it be easier to impose authoritarianism over the right than it would the left? Is it theoretically possible that it could have gone in either direction and it’s just a question of people who like to follow other people?

DEAN: They have found, really, maybe a small, 1%, of the left who will follow authoritarianism. Probably the far left. As far as widespread testing, it’s just overwhelmingly conservative orientation.

OLBERMANN: There is an extraordinary amount of academic work that you quote in the book. A lot of it is very unsettling. It deals with psychological principles that are frightening and may have faced other nations at other times. In German and Italy in the 30’s, come into mind in particular. But, how does it apply now? To what degree should it scare us and to what degree is it something that might be forestalled?

DEAN: To me, it was something of an epiphany to run into this information. First, I’d never read about it before. I sort of worked my way into it until I found it. It’s not generally known out there, what’s going on. I think, from the best we can tell, these people — the followers — a few of them will change their ways when the realize that they are doing — not even aware of what they are doing. The leaders, those inclined to dominate, they’re not going to change for a second. They’re going to be what they are. So, by and large, the reason I write about this is, I think we need to understand it. We need to realize that when you take a certain step of vote a certain way, heading in a certain direction, where this can end up. So, it’s sort of a cautionary note. It’s a warning as to where this can go. Other countries have gone there.

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29 Responses to “Would it be easier to impose authoritarianism over the right than it would the left?”

  1. captain_menace says:

    I just read that Novak finally confirmed that Rove was a source on Plame.

    They say there is yet another unidentified source who first provided Plame’s name and identity.

    Was this person none other than Dick Cheney?

    Could it be that he will be indicted… found guilty… and sentenced? All by December of 2008. And pardoned in January of 2009?

  2. Right Thinker says:

    The Left is all about Authoritarianism, it’s their life’s goal. You hear from psychos like Kos cult of personality Moulitsas saying that Democrats only goals should be to get elected at all costs. Democrats fight tooth and nail to kill as many babies as possible, kill as many 3rd world people through the DDT ban as possible, kill as many elderly and brain damaged people as possible.

    For liberals the ultimate goal is to have control over someone else’s life and liberty. In real world comparisons, Socialism has been the dominant destructive force over the last century. More than 100 million people have died under the boot of liberaism. Democrats started slavery in America, Republicans ended it.

    Authoritarianism is seen in liberal’s environmental, medical, and political aspirations. Democrats won’t let Black Republicans run for office. They spray paint on people who wear fur and stile the free speech and other civil rights of people who don’t tow their line explicitly.

    The Left is completely intoxicated by authoritarianism but, more importantly, they are completely addicted to it.

  3. Right Thinker says:

    Tax & Spend!!! Huge Government….Social Security. What better example of authoritarianism do you need?

  4. captain_menace says:

    Tax & Spend!!! Huge Government….Social Security. What better example of authoritarianism do you need?

    Good thing the current administration has runaway spending under control… er… nevermind.

    Democrats fight tooth and nail to kill as many babies as possible, kill as many 3rd world people through the DDT ban as possible, kill as many elderly and brain damaged people as possible.

    Great line, you may be eligible to date Coulter. Keep up the good work. I especially love the kill babies part. Priceless. Very insightful and objective analysis.

  5. karl says:

    It is so much easier to believe the BS of father figures like Rush Libaugh and George Bush than to do any indpendant thinking, we would all be happier if we just drank the kool-aid, accept for RT of course who if he drank any more kool-aid he would probably piss purple.

    BTW right, I think the the next big issue will involve stem cells, what is your opinion? Who’s rights are more important the brain dead, like Schiavo, or the unborn. From what I have seen so far I am thinking it may not be the panacea people expect, but the embryos are going to be thrown away anyhow so why not use them. Just random thoughts on what I hope is next weeks talking point.

  6. captain_menace says:

    Yummm!

    Embryonic stem cells! So yummy when sauteed with a little garlic.

    Bottom line for me: If it helps people live better lives for longer then let’s do it. You’re right, the tissue will just end up in the dumpster anyway.

  7. Right Thinker says:

    It is so much easier to believe the BS of father figures like Rush Libaugh and George Bush than to do any indpendant thinking

    The only things I hear about Rush are from this blog, we don’t get him in Vegas. Sorry, my opinions are my own and you guys have yet to put forth any decent logical argument in response.

    BTW right, I think the the next big issue will involve stem cells, what is your opinion?

    I’ve read a variety of articles that report adult stem cells are making fast work of diseases such as diabetes, alzheimers and MS. Embryonic stem cells, on the other hand, have yet to show empirical signs that they do anything other than cause “”monster tumors”.

    but the embryos are going to be thrown away anyhow so why not use them.

    Now there’s that circular logic I’ve come to know and love from the liberal base. We need to kill babies for the embryonic stem cells and since we are killing the babies we may as well not let the embryonic stem cells go to waste. There are very few legitimate reasons to kill a baby and definitely none to justify the 1.5 million a year that is happening now.

    we would all be happier if we just drank the kool-aid,

    Hello??? Michael Moore, Al Gore, Daily Kos, Democratic Underground, Keith Olberman, Howard Dean, Air Anti-America, The New York Times, The LA Times.

    Looks like the Democrats are the makers of the cool-aid.

  8. Right Thinker says:

    Bottom line for me: If it helps people live better lives for longer then let’s do it. You’re right, the tissue will just end up in the dumpster anyway.

    Hitler would be proud. Since the Jews were going to die anyway, why not use them in experiments? What other groups of people are you willing to harvest from?

  9. captain_menace says:

    Ever watched a loved one die from a chronic disease RT?

    Do you yank the wanky RT? If so, you may want to consider all the little swimmers you’re flushing down the toilet. They have rights too, right?

    I’m curious to know what the Republican platform is on wanky yanking. I’m sure they have a position on this horrible waste of potential life. Perhaps this is the issue that will energize the Republican party???

  10. RT: I’ve read a variety of articles that report adult stem cells are making fast work of diseases such as diabetes, alzheimers and MS. Embryonic stem cells, on the other hand, have yet to show empirical signs that they do anything other than cause “”monster tumors”.

    This is 100% politically charged right now. The science as I understand it is…an adult stem cell can only be used in the same organ or tissue it came from, whereas embryonic stem cells can change into whatever tissue it needs to. The restrictions put in place that granted no research funding for the latter is why there’s not a lot of stuff out there.

    That Korean scientists who faked his research didn’t help either!

    The Hitler comparison doesn’t make sense…he killed those people. Now, if you want to say that you’re killing someone by extracting embryonic stem cells…geez, who’d have ever thought that Pat Robertson knew more about science than actual scientists!

    OH…God talked to him last night. God said, it’s alright to drop bombs on, occupy and kill Muslims – BUT – whatever’s in that petri dish must be left alone or it might (die?)

    Religion and science don’t mix…better to leave them both to what they do best. We’re not all rushing out to get financial advice from the post office are we?

  11. Also, where did those articles come from? What’s the background and affiliation of the writer? I’ve also read things like that, but upon conducting a google search have found the source to be…er, not a scientist.

  12. karl says:

    RT:

    As far as the the stem cells being thrown away I was referring to the fact that most stem cells for research would probably come from blastocysts created for invitro fertilization, they make a lot of blastocysts, but only implant a few and the rest go to waste. As far as I know these are the preferred source of stem cells for research. So unless you want to do away with invitro-fertilization this is not circular logic in that these “unborn fetuses” will be thrown out if not used. So I guess the choice is up to Bush and Co, use these products of other accepted medical procedures or pander to the leaders in the republican party.

    You really cannot get Rush in Vegas? proof that their is hope for civilization yet.

  13. Right Thinker says:

    Ever watched a loved one die from a chronic disease RT?

    I watched my grandfather waste away from alzheimers and I watched my father waste away from Diabetes. I now have diabetes and if your asking me if I would be ok with killing a baby or an illegal alien or a homeless person to get the samples that would have saved my Father and Grandfather or that would save myself the answer is a resounding NO.

    Abortion is about the most barbaric practice a society can engage in. I can see the point of some Democrats who say “if it feels good then do” and can use that mantra as a blank check to harvest what they need from the less fortunate, that’s hoe Democrats started slavery. Killing babies is is just wrong but then to use their carcasses to help millionaires ride their $250k stallions again is beyond the pale.

    Do you yank the wanky RT? If so, you may want to consider all the little swimmers you’re flushing down the toilet. They have rights too, right?

    Do more research, human life is in a fertilized egg, not just sperm or an egg alone.

    Religion and science don’t mix…better to leave them both to what they do best. We’re not all rushing out to get financial advice from the post office are we?

    Did I bring up religion? You don’t have to be religious to find baby killing distastful. What kind of society kills it’s young and then harvests the corpses for spare parts? I don’t think that is a religious concept, most cultures find murder reprehensible.

    As far as the the stem cells being thrown away I was referring to the fact that most stem cells for research would probably come from blastocysts created for invitro fertilization,

    Monst and probably??? Not a lot of certainty of where those stem cells come from.

    You really cannot get Rush in Vegas? proof that their is hope for civilization yet.

    Not that I know of.

    The Hitler comparison doesn’t make sense…he killed those people.

    What does it matter? The point is those Jews were going to die so someone thought that you way as well use them to advance science. Pressure tests, impact tests, chemical tests. The Nazis developed a lot of equipment to protect human life by testing of Jews. These people were expendable, most liberals think babies are expendable just like they thought slaves were expendable.

    Someone is always expendable in the world, it seems. I’m alarmed at how an entire political party can be so non-chalant about the apocalyptic death toll abortion has caused, like it’s the baby’s fault his or her parents are irresponsible and shy on morals.

  14. karl says:

    Right:

    What about the thousands of embryos that are created for invitro-fertilization and then discarded? What do you think should be done with them? They are not the product of abortion, but they exist why not use them?

    The stem cell debate is good in that it deals with how americans manage health care. Most of the diseases that stem cells would treat are either preventable or occur at the end of a patients life, should we be spending billions of dollars to prolong someones life by six months; for example an Alziemers patient who is in their late seventies even if you could cure the Alziemers they would probably devolope other ailments and die soon anyway.

    It seems like many of the ailments that effect Americans could be prevented with a better diet and certiain lifestyle choices, sometimes I wonder if it would not be better to take all the money spent on exotic cures and funnell it into prevention. For example, close to 90% of all joint replacement surgeries are performed on people who are overweight, the remainder seems to be old football players, the point being that helping people to maintain a healthy weight would probably prevent many diseases and cut health care costs. Maybe that is a better approach than trying to cure all these preventable diseases. I am not trying to start an argument so much as trying to think this through.

  15. captain_menace says:

    I watched my grandfather waste away from alzheimers and I watched my father waste away from Diabetes. I now have diabetes and if your asking me if I would be ok with killing a baby or an illegal alien or a homeless person to get the samples that would have saved my Father and Grandfather or that would save myself the answer is a resounding NO.

    Sorry to hear about your diabetes. Bummer. Hope it goes well for you.

    Regardless, your personal views regarding the sanctity of 50 to 150 cells that make up a blastocyst (often referred to as an early stage human embryo) shouldn’t keep those who have different values from receiving life-saving treatments.

    A blastocyst is not a viable life. And if the blastocyst is going to be discarded anyway why not put it to use? We can regulate this without it turning into a blastocyst harvesting industry. All of this will probably be a moot point in the future as researchers figure out how to remove cells from the blastocyst without destroying it.

    Anyway, your insults towards those who WOULD want to save lives using this technology is misguided. Given the choice between saving (not really saving it since they are discarded) a 150 cell blastocyst, and saving my 3 year old daughter (or your grandfather), I’d take my daughter or your grandfather any day of the week (I’d even choose to save you first). If you want to think I’m evil for that then that is just fine. It has nothing to do with politics. It’s a human thing.

    Your comparison with Hitler is bunk. The frail, disabled, and weak were the first on his hit list (then he went for the aliens, and homeless). Embryonic stem cell technologies will help these frail, disabled, and weak the most.

  16. karl says:

    Has anyone been following the senate campaign of Katherine Harris?

    “Republican insiders… trace the seeds of her trouble to the story of “Joe’s dead intern.”
    This wasn’t any old Joe.

    It was Joe Scarborough, host of the prime-time MSNBC show Scarborough Country and a former Pensacola Republican congressman who was courted last summer by national Republicans to run against Harris. But before he could announce he wouldn’t, Harris called major donors and suggested Scarborough would have to answer questions about the strange death of a former staff member in 2001, according to two former high-level Harris staff members, a GOP donor and Scarborough.

    ”That was the first clue that something wasn’t right with Katherine Harris,” Scarborough told The Miami Herald in a recent interview, noting that a medical examiner found his staff member’s death was natural and not the result of foul play.

    Harris, through a spokeswoman, denied Scarborough’s account, saying she ”would never insinuate publicly or privately” that he did anything untoward.

    But her former staff members say they expected her to deny the previously untold anecdote, which they say marked the beginning of the Harris campaign’s tailspin.”

    Seems like the difference between dems and repubs right now is how they treat their idiots. Dems are working very hard to get people like Lieberman out of the party, while the Repubs seems to be working very hard to keep crazies like Katherine Harris in the party and try to get them elected. I guess it shows who is frantcally trying to hold onto power and who is trying to fix the country.

  17. karl says:

    One more comment on health choices, although the article deals with brits, it may apply in the US as well.

    Beer gut bill tops four figures
    The average British male spends £1,144 per year cultivating his beer gut, research shows.
    That equates to 5% of the average take home pay spent on beer and post-booze snacks such as kebabs.

    The study, by private medical insurer PruHealth, found salesmen are the biggest boozers, spending £1,560 per year on drink and snacks.

    Obesity is linked to a range of health problems, including heart disease and diabetes.

    AVERAGE WEEKLY SPEND ON ALCOHOL
    London: £22
    Rest of South: £18
    Midlands/Wales: £17
    Scotland: £17

    The research, based on interviews with 2,476 men, shows nearly a quarter (22%) of men go out drinking at least two nights a week – and among those aged under 29 the figure rises to 31%.

    Men say they spend an average of £22 on booze and junk food in a typical week.

    However, 7% – around 1.7m men nationwide – say they regularly down £40 worth of drink a week, and over £10 on fast food.

    One in seven Londoners spent over £40 week a week on alcohol alone on average – with 2% admitting to spending at least £80 a week.

    The Scots are keen boozers too, with 4% regularly spending between £100 and £150 per week.

    Single boozers

    Single men on average tend to spend more on booze – £25 – during the week than married or co-habiting men.

    BIG BOOZERS
    London: 13% spend more than £40 a week
    Rest of South: 8%
    Midlands/Wales: 6%
    North: 8%
    Scotland: 5%

    Men who are in a relationship but who don’t live with their partner spend an average of £23 per week, while married men say they spend just £15 on average.

    Salesmen spend noticeably more than any other profession, with one in 20 shelling out £80 to £150 every week.

    They are also the profession most likely to be found in the pub most nights of the week.

    Dr Chris Dark, medical director at PruHealth, said: “We asked men whether they were worried about having a beer belly and over a third said they were.

    “Yet these findings reveal that a significant number of men are clearly investing time and money on cultivating their guts.

    “While it is fine for everyone to enjoy a drink and snack in moderation, my concern is that men are not realising the long-term implications for their health that storing excessive fat around the belly can have.

    “The notorious beer gut can be the start of much more serious health problems, like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.”

    Dr Ian Campbell is medical director of the charity Weight Concern, and author of fatmanslim.com, a free service to men who want to lose weight.

    He said: “For many men the fat around their waist is the most dangerous.

    “In addition to adopting a healthy diet and becoming more active many men would do well to cut down on alcohol.

    “Alcohol is highly calorific and all that unused energy is quickly turned into fat around the gut.”

  18. Right Thinker says:

    for example an Alziemers patient who is in their late seventies even if you could cure the Alziemers they would probably devolope other ailments and die soon anyway.

    There are tennis leagues full of 80-95 year old people. Again, I am alarmed at your ability to place value on someelse’s life based on subjective factors. People over 70 shouldn’t get medical care??? They have paid into the system all their lives, if you don’t like Social Security then we can always do Privatge Accounts.

    It seems like many of the ailments that effect Americans could be prevented with a better diet and certiain lifestyle choices, sometimes I wonder if it would not be better to take all the money spent on exotic cures and funnell it into prevention.

    Wat a minute!!! You guys were railing against abstinance as birth control because you said no one can be expected to keep their pants on, people are going to have sex no matter what gets in their way. Now you are advocating personal responsibility for food consumption and health & Hygeine??? Why the double standards? If people won’t be responsible with something as life altering as pregnancy why do you think anyone would budge over something so insignificant as a big mac?

    Regardless, your personal views regarding the sanctity of 50 to 150 cells that make up a blastocyst (often referred to as an early stage human embryo) shouldn’t keep those who have different values from receiving life-saving treatments.

    This was the slavery argument. People who don’t believe in slavery don’t have to own slaves and shouldn’t interfere in the profits of people who do believe in slavery. NAMBLA believes contrary to me that it’s ok to have sex with young boys, should they be able to do so?

    All of this will probably be a moot point in the future as researchers figure out how to remove cells from the blastocyst without destroying it.

    I agreee with this and will add that we have to look our grandshildren in the face and say we kill about 100 million of you so I can ride my horse again. We are now dealing with the aftermath of segregation and I don’t want to add anything else to our hall of shame. On a side note, if Karl’s world becomes reality, I’ll be terminated at the age of 70 so I guess I shouldn’t worry.

    It has nothing to do with politics. It’s a human thing.

    Actually it’s more of a God thing, choosing who lives or dies. Dehumanizing someone because of the number of cells they have is smoke and mirrors based on time. You are really choosing one child over another because you care about your child but the other parent doesn’t care for theirs. One child is just older than the other. You are placing more value on the 5th grader, for example, than on the kindergartener because of their age.

    The frail, disabled, and weak were the first on his hit list (then he went for the aliens, and homeless). Embryonic stem cell technologies will help these frail, disabled, and weak the most.

    So as long as it’s helping frail and weak people it’s ok to harvest children through abortion? You are also placing way too much emphasis on embryonic stem cells. Adult Stem Cells are leagues ahead of Embryonic. Besides, the millionaires are the only ones who will be able to afford the treatments for the first several decades anyway, so you are really sacrificing the poor to save the rich.

    Seems like the difference between dems and repubs right now is how they treat their idiots. Dems are working very hard to get people like Lieberman out of the party, while the Repubs seems to be working very hard to keep crazies like Katherine Harris in the party and try to get them elected. I guess it shows who is frantcally trying to hold onto power and who is trying to fix the country.

    Howard Dean, John Kerry, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Charles Schumer, Ted Kennedy, John Edwards, Cynthia McKinney, what about all those idiots who are in charge of the Democrats? So we have Katherine Harris in Jerk Water Florida, Look OUT!!!! Please, the idiot ration is about 20 to 1 and there are fewer and fewer Democrats every year. We have maybe Tom Delay but he’s gone because we booted him.

    And Leiberman, the last threat of sanity in the Democratic party and you guys hate him, it’s amazing. Soon idiots are all that will be left in the DNC.

  19. Right Thinker says:

    I really feel I need to address the Leiberman issue a bit more. A staunch Democrat for over 18 years in office, is a thinking moderate and a trustworthy politician. John Kerry should be shining Leiberman’s shoes. People like Leiberman are the only ones who have a chance of saving the Democratic party from ridiculous radicalsim. The tent is already shrunk so small it only fits PETA, eco-terrorists and pro-abortionists. Air America is crashing, America is rejecting the liberal ideology.

  20. karl says:

    RT:

    The main problem with Leiberman is the same with any other war supporter. He wants Iraq to go well so he is pretending that it is going well. Anyone who refuses to acknolwlege reality should not be serving in the US senate. Maybe a few stem cells can save what is left of Leibermans brina but in the mean time he should not be serving in the senate. It is not about being a Democrat as much as being unfit for the job.

    Right:

    You seem to be contridicting yourself regarding medical research. On one hand you seem to be arging that all lifes should be saved regardless of the cost, but don’t want to allow the research to do it. At some point hard decisions have to be made regarding the finite resources that are available for medical research and how they can do the most good. If you are concerned with the human race as a whole, giving out condoms and practicing safe sex will prevent a lot more diseases world wide than any amount of stem cell research(which you seem to be against anyway) The billions of dollars that go into researching bizzarre diseases could be used to encourage people to excersize, why not subsidize those perky fitness trainers, that might inspire people to take better care of themslves.

    The Bottom line with the current stem cell bill is that it takes advantage of a by-product of the fertility industry, a by product that will be thrown out if not used, so why not use it to do some good.

  21. Right Thinker says:

    He wants Iraq to go well so he is pretending that it is going well.

    This is much better than the people like Kerry and Dean who want the war to go bad and for us to lose. He’s rooting for the home team because if we lose we are next. Iraq was never going to be another garden of eden, with the nature of Islam, they are doing pretty well. Were a Democrat in charge, Saddam would still be there and in Kuwait too.

    You seem to be contridicting yourself regarding medical research. On one hand you seem to be arging that all lifes should be saved regardless of the cost, but don’t want to allow the research to do it.

    No contradiction at all. I am not willing to sacrafice one person to save another, especially when it isn’t necessary. What can killing one person to save another, in this case killing thousands to help one, do for society?

    Are you so comfortable with a disposable citizenry? Is it so easy to say since were butchering babies we may as well use them for medical research?

    Religion aside, is this a society you really want to be a part of? Making excuses as to rationalize the destruction of life? Using embrionic stem cells even though Adult stem cells work better and are more stable. Adult stem cells are already linked to the tissue they will repair.

    The blastocyst argument is like the abortion in cases of rape argument. You choose the smallest percentage of unwanted pregnancies and apply it wholly as an excuse for all abortion. A few thousand blastocycsts aren’t an excuse to use abortion as a killing field for harvesting stem cells for research.

  22. Right – an embryo is a person? Then why aren’t fertility clinics charged with murder when they discard them?

    If it’s a person, and the clinic cannot do anything with them without the owner’s persmission, are taxpaying couples receiving the fertility treatment in fact engaging in slavery?

    I suggest you do some more reading of both sides in journals like Nature and Science, not the political blogs or any other source. Because the past 6 years has created this sense that 25% of the population on the right understand scientific matters better than actual scientists!

    Examples across the board, and now they’re trying to convince me that an embryo is a human being. Sure, and humans lived with dinosaurs just 9000 years ago.

  23. Right Thinker says:

    Right – an embryo is a person? Then why aren’t fertility clinics charged with murder when they discard them?

    Clinics pull a life baby out half way and jam a pair of scissors in it’s skull. Life is cheap in America these days.

    But my point isn’t whether the embryo is a nice guy or not, rather, is this what we want to be as a society, to be remembered as? Taking the easy way to curing the wealthy with an unnecssary line of stem cells.

    I’m not particularly religious and this isn’t a religious issue for me. Are we just animals that butcher our young or are we something more.

  24. captain_menace says:

    RT, you adhere strongly to some very inaccurate beliefs. Abortion at most clinics is not performed by jerking out a baby and sticking scissors in it’s skull. In fact most states restrict the time period during which a fetus can be aborted. In most cases the fetus is still just a glob of cells that is sucked out of the uterus. What you describe is truly horrific, and we have laws that prevent this from happening in a licensed clinic.

    Are we just animals that butcher our young or are we something more.

    In regards to stem cell research this gets back to the fundamental question of “is a 50-150 cell blastocyst a human being?” I say no. And if my daughter’s life depended on the use of stem cells from these 150 cell masses I would have absolutely no problem with that. And it angers me to no end that YOU BELIEVE that my child’s life isn’t as important as a lump of 150 cells. If you don’t approve of stem cell research, then fine, when the time comes you can let your loved one die. That’s your choice. Don’t try and enforce your archaic world view on me and my loved ones.

    You do realize that there are absolutely no organs in a 150 cell mass? No brain, no heart, no specialized cells, no nothing. Just cells that may or may not become something.

    By the way, I believe we are animals. In fact I make poopy just like a dog (and every other animal), but I do it in a toilet bowl.

    And I’m confused about your religious slant. You’re not “particularly” religious? What does that mean? Are you religious every other day, or every Sunday. Or do you bounce from Hinduism to Christianity, to Buddhism, to…??? Or are you a pirate?… may you be touched by his noodly appendage.

  25. captain_menace says:

    I am not willing to sacrafice one person to save another

    Now isn’t that just precious.

    Isn’t this the ENTIRE PREMISE for our vacation in Iraq? Kill a few over there so a few over here don’t die?

    So your personal beliefs about the sanctity of human life varies depending on whether you’re talking about U.S. domestic policy or U.S. foreign policy?

    Using embrionic stem cells even though Adult stem cells work better and are more stable. Adult stem cells are already linked to the tissue they will repair.

    Embryonic stem cells are better than adult stem cells for research purposes. Read a medical research magazine or website. If adult stem cells worked as well we wouldn’t be having this debate. It would be a non-issue. It’s only the uneducated religious folk who regurgitate this entirely false statement.

    The blastocyst argument is like the abortion in cases of rape argument.

    It’s not a “blastocyst argument”. A blastocyst is the scientific/medical term used to describe an early stage human embryo. These cellular masses are developmentally comprised of 50 to 150 cells. For the life of me I can’t understand how you don’t get this point.

    A blastocyst does not contain any of the following

    Heart
    Brain
    Lungs
    Liver
    Bone tissue
    Stomach
    Or any other organ or body part that you could possibly name, other than basic NON-specialized cells.

    You’re trying to relate a fetus to an embryo. These are two entirely different things.

  26. captain_menace says:

    Actually it’s more of a God thing, choosing who lives or dies.

    Capital punishment

    Besides, the millionaires are the only ones who will be able to afford the treatments for the first several decades anyway, so you are really sacrificing the poor to save the rich.

    The entire concept of medical research is to bring quality healthcare to everyone. I don’t think there is any disagreement regarding the value of medical advancements to the human species. And there is no sacrificing of anything closely resembling a poor person.

    AGAIN (HAMMER HITTING YOU UPSIDE THE HEAD) A BLASTOCYST IS SMALLER THAN A BOOGER, AND A BOOGER CONTAINS MUCH MORE SPECIALIZED CELLS.

  27. karl says:

    What about all the used condoms, should we save all those little swimmers?

  28. RT: Are you so comfortable with a disposable citizenry? Is it so easy to say since were butchering babies we may as well use them for medical research?

    Right, don’t we already have a disposable citizenry? Don’t we have couple groups of them? Soldiers forced to stay in Iraq in spite of it’s grim reality at this point – illegal aliens who did nothing but work and pay taxes turned into hunted animals. Mintority children in ghettos, barely half of them (if that) graduating high school.

    These people are worth little to nothing in comparison with these things you need a hemi-powered microscope to even see.

    I figure that once enough valid empathy deposit zones are closed up to a person with a big heart, it’s got to run down into the hole that’s available, and for my lifetime, that hole has been the theological struggle of determining what constituted life in the eyes of those who wrote our religious texts – of course – none of the men who wrote those had any concept of what we’re discussing here today.

    That one or many churches lay claim to knowing what ‘God thinks’ concerning a modern day issue as complex as this one…that’s business as usual. It doesn’t mean they’re any more right than I am. And I’m not considering myself selfish for having this position either.

    I don’t consider myself a monster for supporting this. Just like the meateater doesn’t feel sorry for being the way they are when there are vegitarians living down the street.

    Right – your code says that this is wrong, but like the vegitarian, the rest of us don’t have to quit eating hamburgers because of it. The right complains about everything PETA does, yet here’s the same exact thing and for some reason in this instance a quarter of the population should have say over what the other 75% think, but in the case of PETA, it’s disgusting, pathetic…

    There are religious people around here, at least once every couple of years a mother and father are arrested and put in jail for allowing their child to go without medicine…their religious beliefs don’t preclude the law’s idea of ‘reckless endangerment’ or ‘manslaughter’. It’s the advance of medicine that scared these people, and eventually the law won out when their kid dies from a burst appendix.

    Calling it murder is the application of your theology towards the debate, when the reality of it is outside of your ability to prove, outside ANYONE’S ability to prove…shit, the religious parents who let their kid die aren’t even charged with murder!

  29. Ed Mayfield says:

    Why is Rush L. still on radio? A drug addict!. I will not support any sponsor of this show.

    Ed M

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