Political Activity in Iowa (embryonic stem cells; death penalty)

I heard on National Public Radio a woman commenting about this proposed bill to repeal bans on human cloning. She said (I paraphrase here), oh, it is not that extreme, because it only allows the creation of embryos for the extraction of their stem cells for RESEARCH purposes... this is not for REPRODUCTIVE purposes... these embryos will not be allowed to become human and be born.

DUH! - when you create a human embryo, you HAVE ALREADY created human life... this is already reproductive human cloning even if the human embryo is destroyed before it is allowed to mature in the womb and be born. Is this just stupidity on some people's part... or is it an intentional attempt to deceive voters? ...

This is the Feb. 18th Iowa Catholic Conference email newsletter:

The priority issue continues to be the bill to repeal Iowa’s ban on cloning.

Senate File 162 – Cloning bill – House contacts critical

The newest development is that there is a public hearing in the Iowa House on Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 7 to 10 p.m. regarding the bill, HF 287. It will be held in the Iowa House chamber at the Capitol. Please attend the hearing if you can – a good attendance on our part would be important.

Last week, the bill (SF 162, formerly SF 115) passed the Senate by a single vote, 26-24. All Republicans opposed the bill along with four Democrats; Senators Tom Hancock, Bill Heckroth, Brian Schoenjahn, and Joe Seng. If your Senator opposed the bill please thank them.
Supporters are making the argument that human cloning is not allowed by the bill. This is incorrect. This bill would allow human embryos to be created and then destroyed to extract their stem cells. Just because an embryo isn't allowed to be born doesn't make it less human. We are working to protect human life.

The outcome in the House is in doubt. Please contact your Representative to encourage their opposition to the bill. One Senator said he had received 183 e-mails; only one was in favor of the bill. If you haven’t already, please go to www.iowacatholicconference.org to find out who your representatives are and to send them an e-mail. This could be a very close vote and one of your contacts could make the difference!

Senate File 194 -- Death penalty

A bill to reinstate the death penalty was introduced late last week in the Iowa Senate as SF 194. It would bring back the death penalty for first degree murder, kidnapping and sexual abuse, against a minor. Gov. Culver has indicated he would be open to signing such a bill. In the past, Democratic leadership in the Senate has not been favorable to a death penalty bill. This bears watching and it is never too early to let your Senators know about our opposition to the death penalty.

Holy See Supports Initiatives Against the Death Penalty

I also came across this while surfing the net:
http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/
vis/dinamiche/c2_en.htm

HOLY SEE SUPPORTS INITIATIVES AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY
VATICAN CITY, FEB 7, 2007 (VIS)

- Made public today was a declaration of the Holy See delivered during the course of a world congress on the death penalty, held in Paris, France from February 1 to 3.

"The Paris congress," reads the French-language text, "is being celebrated at a time in which, because of recent executions, the campaign against the death penalty is facing new and disquieting challenges. Public opinion has become sensitized and has expressed its concern for a more effective recognition of the inalienable dignity of human beings, and of the universality and integrity of human rights, beginning with the right to life."

As in previous meetings on the same subject, "the Holy See takes this opportunity to welcome and affirm once more its support for all initiatives that aim to defend the inherent value and inviolability of all human life, from conception to natural end. In this perspective, it is worth noting that the use of the death penalty is not just a negation of the right to life, but also an affront to human dignity."

"The Catholic Church continues to maintain that the legitimate authorities of State have the duty to protect society from aggressors," but "some States traditionally include the death penalty among the means used to achieve this end," an option "that is difficult to justify today." States now have new ways "of preserving public order and people's safety," which include "offering the accused stimuli and encouragement" to mend their ways. Such non-lethal means of prevention and punishment "correspond better to the ... the common good and conform more to the dignity of the human person."

"Any decision to use the death penalty involves many dangers," such as "that of punishing the innocent, and the temptation to foment violent forms of revenge rather than true social justice." It is also "a clear offense against the inviolability of human life ... and, for Christians, an affront to the evangelical teaching of forgiveness."
"The Holy See," the text concludes, "reiterates its appreciation to the organizers of the congress, to governments, ... and to everyone who works ... to abolish the death penalty or to impose a universal moratorium on its use."
____________________________________________
From the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

468. What is the purpose of punishment? [see also Catechism of the Catholic Church #2266]

A punishment imposed by legitimate public authority has the aim of redressing the disorder introduced by the offense, of defending public order and people’s safety, and contributing to the correction of the guilty party.

469. What kind of punishment may be imposed? [see also Catechism of the Catholic Church #2267]

The punishment imposed must be proportionate to the gravity of the offense. Given the possibilities which the State now has for effectively preventing crime by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm, the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity “are very rare, if not practically non-existent.” (Evangelium Vitae). When non-lethal means are sufficient, authority should limit itself to such means because they better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common good, are more in conformity with the dignity of the human person, and do not remove definitively from the guilty party the possibility of reforming himself.

House Passes Destructive Stem Cell Research Bill

From the USCCB (US Bishops Conference):

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BISHOPS' OFFICIAL REACTS TO HOUSE PASSAGE OF DESTRUCTIVE STEM CELL RESEARCH BILL

WASHINGTON—Today the U.S. House of Representatives voted 253 to 174 to pass H.R. 3 and remove current limits on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Richard Doerflinger, Deputy Director of the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops made the following statement in response:

"Today the House voted to force all taxpayers to fund stem cell research requiring the destruction of human embryos. As in the past, President Bush has pledged to veto this misguided and unethical legislation, and there are not enough votes to override that veto.

"Congress should now turn its attention to stem cell research that poses no moral problem – constructive research that is already beginning to help patients with dozens of conditions in clinical trials. Unlike embryonic stem cell research, research using stem cells from adult tissue, umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid and other sources is showing enormous promise and is likely to produce new treatments for patients now living.

"Most Americans support stem cell research, and most greatly prefer that this research advance without harming or destroying human life at any stage. The truly statesmanlike approach to this issue would be to take up this challenge, supporting medical progress that all Americans can live with."
-USCCB Pro-Life Secretariat

Coverage from Catholic World News:
http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=48575

From First Things journal:
http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft0701/articles/condic.html

The hope of adult stem cells as a moral alternative:
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jan/07011602.html

More articles on the issue of embryonic stem cell research:
http://swallowedscroll.blogspot.com/2006/10/embryonic-stem-cell-research-lets-look.html

http://swallowedscroll.blogspot.com/2006/11/more-on-evils-of-embryonic-stem-cell.html