Persona Non Grata People May Hold Key to Cance Cure
Well this is ironic: People with Down syndrome--against whom a concerted pogrom is being waged to wipe off the face of the earth via genetic testing and eugenic abortion or infanticide--may hold the key to an effective treatment for cancer. From the story:
Scientists may have solved the mystery of why people with Down's syndrome seem to have a lower risk of some cancers.At least some catch an important ancillary point to this story:
The extra copy of chromosome 21 which causes Down's appears to contain a gene that protects from solid cancerous tumours, tests on mice suggest. The gene seems to interfere with signals a tumour relies on to grow. The finding raises hope of new ways to prevent and treat cancer.
Writing in the journal, the researchers, led by Dr Sandra Ryeom, said: "It is, perhaps, inspiring that the Down's syndrome population provides us with new insight into mechanisms that regulate cancer growth and, by so doing, identifies potential targets for tumour prevention and therapy."Will that slow down our drive to identify and destroy these precious human beings before they can be born? Not a chance. We talk a good game of "diversity," but we don't really mean it.
Labels: Down Syndrome. New Eugenics. Genetics. Cancer Research.
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 11:24 PM
12 Comments
12 Comments:
I have been discussing the issue of eugenic abortion on this website, and have been profoundly disturbed by the attitudes of people in regard to whether disability is a facet of human diversity. I recommend that people check it out. This particular thread, sadly, was written by the mother of a thirteen-year-old with Down Syndrome. I am Progo35 on this site:
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/reader-diaries/2009/04/17/specialneeds-and-choice
Unfortunately, in our current climate of medical research, this could mean there is now a reason to "harvest" those down syndrome children in the womb instead of simply discarding them.
I don't think we should mess with this stuff.
Charlie: I was just thinking the same thing.
First we need to stop experimenting on non-human animals and get off this ridiculous arrogant narcissistic unncessary circular-reasoning self-defeating "human exceptionalism" kick that only shoots itself in the foot when it comes to stopping the death culture. (Sorry Wesley but viewed from the outside that's how it adds up -- the theory doesn't go all the way that it has to to be effective.) Then ethics, humanity, and sound reasoning will have a chance. Then we can figure out why the phenomenon noted in this blog section exists and what it means. This human exceptionalism stuff is working in a cave with shadows and doesn't even realize it.
And we can see what a fine mood I'm in this morning. Well actually fine enough to be frank.
Anyway we can't figure out why people with Downs are resistant to cancer and what that means when we can't even stop the death culture because we don't have the guts to stop animal research. Trying to do things that are to our advantage when we don't see what isn't just hasn't worked, it doesn't work, and it can't work. Which is why and how we got to the current state of things.
Sure we can figure out why folks with Downs' are resistant to cancer-- we already have a pretty dang good idea.
It is rather disgusting that it took this long for folks to go "wait a second.... why don't these folks get X cancer at anything like normal levels?"
Not as disgusting as the number that are murdered, but pretty disgusting none the less.
lanthe, "human exceptionalism" I don't follow your reasoning. Why is it self-defeating..circular..ect?
It is Wesley's choice of words for how he views mankind!
And as for experimenting on animals, ridding the world of the practice would not help...as YOU completely miss the reason people do what they do. If they don't experiment on animals...they will use humans! ( which they probably do already)
Crumb! Humans are EXCEPTIONAL because...unlike animals....we are made in the image of God. ( and yes..I realize we don't act like it..we are trouble makers.. and the reason for that...is a topic for a different blog.)
Jan -
Another way to put it is, we're exceptional because we can reason and recognize the difference between Good and Evil. We have an inborn empathy that makes us feel for others, including other animals. Cases of zoomorphism (where animals of different species get along together) are very rare, *except* where humans are concerned. Dogs and cats do not get on well togehter in the wild, but if you put a human into the mix, the animals will get along much better together than if there were no human, and the cat and dog will get on very well with the human, provided they are humanely treated.
You and I believe that's because we're made in God's own image, but even people who don't believe in God can see that we're exceptional for the reasons I listed above.
The thing is, if we're treating some humans like animals, like lab experiments, like things to be used, then we're denying that inner part of ourselves that make us exceptional. Some may say that those who feel indifferent or hateful towards people who are different are simply accepting the original natural stated. I say, they're denying what makes us all special becuase they're feeling selfish.
I'm very concerned that now that Downs Syndrome individuals are seen to have a medical advantage, they'll be taken advantage of, or used as experiments. It's the same sentiment that others have expressed, and it bothers me something awful.
I am in agreement with TE Fine and Charlie. THe first thing I thought of was,
"Great...more human beings to be used as scientific experiments."
Jan: Not everyone believes that humans are made in the image of God, or accepts that rather arrogant -- and circular -- assumption.
People with allergies seem to be more prone to heart disease than to cancer, according to "studies."
Lanthe- you seem to have confused the term "circular" with one that means "I don't agree."
I'll join in asking for you to demonstrate the reasoning you're labeling as circular.
Jan: And it's self-defeating because it does not require humans to be their best, and thus truly exceptional, and thus it can't be -- and is not effective. It hasn't stopped the death culture, which has flourished in the ground of "human exceptionalism." As for if we didn't experiment on non-human animals, we'd experiment on humans, frankly that would be more ethical, as at least humans can grant or withhold consent, and aside from that experimentation is lazy science. The best science comes out of logic, not experimentation.
Foxfier: Nonsense, and it's you who are taking umbrage at anyone disagreeing with what YOU think is right. I'm not at all surprised that you are asking for a "demonstration" of what if I bothered to go over it all over again as I've done here countless times you'd still pipe up as you are now.
Nonsense, and it's you who are taking umbrage at anyone disagreeing with what YOU think is right.Hardly.
Which of us is making claims about impossibility? Which of us is claiming multiple lines of thought are "circular"-- in one case rather without objective reason, as the statement "Man is made in God's image and is unique among animals because of that" is one of faith, instead of logic.
I simply join Jan in asking you to explain your claims about the lack of reason. How about growing up and actually supporting them instead of throwing your little fits?
Could it be that there's someone here who is "ridiculous arrogant narcissistic" ... and it's not our host or those who view humans as unusual among the animal kingdom?
Perhaps you could call in a gorilla as a character witness.
In the mean time, I'll be watching out for folks trying to define those with Downs' sub-human, as I'm sure will most of the people here.
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