Slippery slope

Dear Editor,

We feel compelled to write and support Bill Sullivan's letter of rebuttal to Dr. Don Blank's letter to the Editor entitled "False Accusations."

In going to the Web site mentioned by Mr. Sullivan we found that indeed Dr. Blank voted to support the University Bioethics Committee Recommendations of May 24, 2001 that EMBRYONIC Stem Cell Research can be conducted at the University of Nebraska.

Also, our research shows that in December 1999, he voted to reaffirm UNMC using aborted fetal tissue for research.

This was right after it was revealed in the Omaha World-Herald that UNMC had been doing this type of research in secret since 1993.

Our question to Dr. Blank would be "Is it not a progression to go from using already aborted babies for research to now stating that frozen embryos should die for research or further yet, that human embryos should be created through cloning for the specific purpose of killing them for research?"

This is a total slippery slope. Would it not be better and morally correct and ethical to spend our monies and time promoting stem cell research using adult stem cells, umbilical cord blood, fat stem cells (see Omaha World Herald, 10-23-04) and other proven resources that do not destroy human life?

In light of our research and the evidence we have found, we support Dave Hergert for District 7 Board of Regents who does not endorse the destruction of human life for medical research. If you feel, as we do, that respect for human life should be our number one priority we encourage you to do the same.

Respectfully,

Kathie Cappel

Sally Loescher

McCook