I support the AFA's position on these three bills, however, and I know I'm gonna catch hell about this, I am for two very narrow applications of this kind of research. I am not for the harvesting of fetal tissue to work with experimentation regarding human and animal DNA per se but I am for the following, the use of adult DNA, voluntarily donated that could be implanted in either fetal or matured animals which could then be tranferred back into the human source genome, or simply for adult humans to attempt to graft and replicate certain animal alleles to see if it is possible for humans to graft onto or develop within their own genetic code certain animal capabilities. For instance if a blind man could use, let us say, a hawk's genetic material and grow or develop the eyes of a hawk. Or if a person with damaged olfactory capabilities could develop the sense of smell and taste of a dog. Or even if a human being wanted some augmentation to already perfectly normal capabilities, let's say they wanted the hearing capabilities of a wolf and their genetic structure could be altered over time by admixing specific human and animal subcodes and therefore develop acute animal capabilities. I have experimented with such things myself and intend to do so in the future. In the above case I would not be for restrictions on human rights in any sense for people who had successfully somehow grafted within their own genetic code certain animal alleles, such people would retain all normal human rights. However they would not be allowed to use such modifications as any kind of legal or psychological excuse for any type of deviant, subversive or criminal behavior.
I'm also for allowing human tissue of a person of age being voluntarily donated to allow for implantation, grafting, mixing or amalgamation with animal tissue, either that of a young or mature animal or that of a fetal animal in development in order to produce an animal enhanced with certain human genetic traits. In this case I believe that such animals would have to be granted more rights that are normally afforded most animals and in many cases even more than are afforded most pets.
I'm also very much in favor of experimentation, using their own base genetic code, sans any human genome grafting, manipulating animal genomes to express progressive human-like cognitive traits, in order to produce more highly intelligent animals who are capable of more human-like cognitive functions. I've experimented with this myself and will continue to do so and think that such animals, possessing in some way parallel human cognitive capabilities should be granted near human rights. Maybe one day human rights. In either case I'm not for the allowing of fetal hybrids and chimeras of various kinds (nor knowing what I know about cloning do I much care for or think any great scientific or moral value to cloning), allowing the unrestricted free mixing of human and animal genomes. But I do think that you could produce more human like animals and you could produce humans with acute animal sensory and perceptual capabilities, if such processes were developed in the right way, which would be beneficial for both human and animal species.
In any case I'm gonna encourage my Senators to support these particular bill recommendations as proposed.
AFA Alert
Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2006 10:59 PMSubject: Senate to Vote on Important Bills on Stem-Cell Research and Cloning Tuesday, July 18
Donald E. Wildmon
Founder and Chairman July 17, 2006Senate to Vote on Important Bills on Stem-Cell Research and Cloning Tuesday, July 18Urge Your Senators to OPPOSE H.R. 810 and SUPPORT S. 3504 & S. 2754 Dear Jack,The U.S. Senate will vote on three important bills dealing with stem-cell research and cloning beginning Tuesday, July 18. No amendments will be allowed for any of the bills. It will take 60 votes out of 100 for any one to pass, otherwise they will be dead for the remainder of the year. Of the three bills to be considered, AFA STRONGLY OPPOSES H.R. 810, which would require federal funding of research using stem cells obtained by killing human embryos. AFA SUPPORTS S. 3504 - the Fetus Farming Prohibition Act - which would make it a federal crime for a researcher to use tissue from a human baby who has been gestated in a woman's womb - or an animal womb - for experimentation and AFA SUPPORTS S. 2754 - the Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act - which would encourage scientists to seek ethical stem-cell alternatives. Take ActionContact your Senators to urge them to vote AGAINST the anti-life stem-cell bill, H.R. 810, and to SUPPORT S. 3504 - the fetus farming ban – and SUPPORT S. 2754 which would encourage scientists to seek ethical stem-cell alternatives. Please tell your senators that you are in favor of ethical stem-cell research, but not research that requires the killing of human embryos. If you think our efforts are worthy, would you please support us with a small gift? Thank you for caring enough to get involved.Sincerely,Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and ChairmanAmerican Family AssociationP.S. Please forward this e-mail message to your family and friends!If you are a Federal Civilian, Postal or Military Employee, please consider AFA (#2058) for your annual CFC participation. Questions or comments about AFA? Contact us via
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