Letters

(2 of 2)

Imagine a group of lawyers traveling on a ship that runs into difficulties in a severe storm. The situation deteriorates until the ship's captain orders everybody into the lifeboats. That is when the lawyers on board begin to argue over the captain's right to order anyone to abandon ship. As the ship slips beneath the waves, the lawyers are still prattling on and on about the legal definition of a sinking ship.
A. HAKAN ANDERSSON
Lake Cowichan, B.C.

So Professor Turner believes that "if we err too far on the side of civil liberties, an awful lot of Americans could lose their lives." Funny, I thought an awful lot of Americans had already lost their lives defending those same liberties.
LAREN TOLBERT
Atlanta

Long Live the King

In his article about Disney's Lilo & Stitch, Richard Corliss mentioned that the movie includes "half a dozen Elvis Presley songs for Mom and Dad" [MOVIES, June 24]. Pardon me, but I think he meant Grandmom and Grandpop! Elvis died before I turned four years old, and I'm the mom of two young Disney fans who are as out of touch with Elvis as I am!
JOANNA BELL
Lutherville, Md.

Debating Limits on Cloning

I want to say a very loud thank-you to Charles Krauthammer for having the courage to call for a stop to human cloning of any kind [VIEWPOINT, June 24]. More and more people are being seduced by the idea that human cloning will bring health discoveries that will cure many significant illnesses. Perhaps so, but what a slippery slope to descend!
FRANCES VANDERSCHAAF
Vista, Calif.

As a minister, I cannot understand the debate over cloning and stem-cell research. Is it simple arrogance that makes one believe that life can be created by scientists? Be it an atom, a cell or a fetus, it was created by God. This fear that we will create life to destroy life is hilarious. Personally, I would rather the embryo, with no knowledge of this world and the pain it brings, be used to help millions than for a million babies to be born into a life of hatred, heartache, oppression, pain and violence. For in the end, it comes right back to God, the creator of all things. Who are we to say God did not provide us with the knowledge of cloning? Who are we to say that life created to help other lives is not one of the most angelic offerings from God?
(The Rev.) BRETT A. HARRIS
Canton, Ohio

Despite Krauthammer's protestations, cows are not people. Teasing stem cells from microscopic blastocysts is not in any way analogous to a "brave new world of fetal farming." Research cloning, more appropriately termed therapeutic nuclear transfer, carries enormous potential for alleviating dreaded human diseases. There is a very clear line between this research and what Krauthammer terms the inevitable next step: implanting such a blastocyst into a human womb. There is no reason to believe that this will necessarily occur. But even if such a procedure might eventually be performed in some renegade scientist's lab, should that be reason enough to bring this promising research to a halt? I say no, do not stand in the way of medical progress.
GILBERT ROSS, M.D.,
MEDICAL DIRECTOR THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON SCIENCE AND HEALTH
New York City