Everyone, I have been working lots of extra hours and under extra work stress. Which makes the Chieftain cranky. And when the Chieftain is cranky, the tribe suffers. So let me vent some of my frustration.
This past week I have been at war with outright stupidity. Call it a pet peeve – but when things don’t make sense or someone is blatantly flying in the face of reason, my very male, logical self gets bent out of proportion. In an effort to let it go, I will share with you the latest stupidity I have encountered.
I heard a radio commercial today from a mother whose child is afflicted by childhood diabetes. The disease is devastating for all involved. The catch? John McCain doesn’t support stem cell research, and therefore doesn’t care about her. And, he doesn’t care about you!
What?
There are two problems with this argument. Not supporting something that you believe would benefit you is not necessarily against you. Second, this argument doesn’t generalize.
Second, the issues with stem cells have nothing to do with wanting to find cures. What human being wouldn’t want to benefit his fellow mankind? I need more proof than voting on a single issue.
The issues concerned here are governance, moral concerns, and ethical concerns.
Governance: we have a set amount of money, we should spend it where it is most promising to pay off. Largely, the scientists argue this out, but the Government can explicitely choose or put constraints on spending if it so wishes.
Moral issues: the belief about aboslute right and wrong raises two questions: is it right to profit by abortion? Is it right to withhold medical care to someone who doesn’t share your moral values?
Ethical issues: do we want to cause unborn babies to become a commoditized natural resource? Do we want to make a cure at the expense of life? Do we want to take every opportunity to cure disease? America prides itself on diversity of thought, so why impose values on others?
If we dive into the issue, I believe we will find an intelligent discussion about these issues. I would like to know, does McCain support stem cell research that does not harvest cells from expired babies? I bet he does.
Let’s talk the issues, people! Make a decision based on research. That is my challenge to you. Don’t vote based on an emotional appeal on the radio.
Next time on the Chieftain’s Soapbox: Short Term Business thinking.
