I came back to my computer and found that a fan had posted a link to an article on my page that they wanted my opinion on. As I read the article, I realized that my response would never fit into the comments section, so I decided I had probably better just take it to the blog. For those of you who are intrigued and would like to get up to speed, here is a link to the article, which is entitled:
"Obama Agency Helps Hide Use of Aborted Fetal Cells in Flavor Enhancement Tests"
here's a link to the article:http://doctorbulldog.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/obama-agency-helps-pepsi-hide-use-of-aborted-fetal-cells-in-flavor-enhancement-tests/
Hopefully, while reading the article, everyone caught on to the fact
that we are not, and will not be, drinking dead babies out of Pepsi
cans. Apparently, Pepsi's research department has discovered some way
to use a specific set of embryonic stem cells in a process to create a
man made chemical that they add to their soda to "enhance" flavor.
Clearly the ick factor here is pretty high, but it's not quite the
cannibalism that the person who chose this title was hoping people would
think it was as they chose to boycott all things Pepsi.
Now, in asking for my opinion on this article, I'm assuming that the
fan who shared it with me was hoping for my thoughts on either A.) The
Obama Administration Cover Up Angle, or B.) The morality of using
embryonic stem cells in research, either in general, or specifically as
it relates to consumable food products. I will address the Obama angle
first, since that one is likely to be the easier task. Then I will go
on to piss some people off with some stuff that is purely my opinion.
First off, the agency that is referenced by the article as having
participated in "hiding" these horrible facts from the public is the
Securities and Exchange Commission. This agency was created by an act
of Congress in 1934, which is 28 years before Barack Obama was even
born. In fact, it was already in existence before either one of the
man's parents was even born. So it's not exactly "his" agency. It is
an agency of the Federal Government. Three of the five members of the
commission who are currently serving and running it were appointed by
President George W. Bush in 2008 before he left office. In addition, it
is a requirement of the Act that created the SEC that no more than 3 of
the 5 members be of the same political party. Right now, there are two
Republicans, three Democrats. Bush appointed two of the Democrats and
one of the Republicans, Obama has appointed one member from each party.
To learn more about the SEC, you can go here.
The decision made by the SEC deals with the fact that some of the
shareholders who own stock in Pepsi had passed a shareholder resolution
trying to force Pepsi to not use these stem cells in the research,
development, or manufacture of their products. The SEC decided that the
use of these cells was part of the process of Pepsi doing business and
making their product, and that shareholders did not have the right to
control how the product was made. Kind of like a car manufacturer not
having to follow a resolution passed by it's shareholders to never
produce red cars simply because the majority of those shareholders are
convinced that red cars are more likely to be in an accident.
Basically, owning some stock in a company doesn't give you a say in how
that company is run or how they make their products.
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| Shareholders- No more red ones. Company- It's our biggest selling color! Shareholders- Too bad. |
Now let's move on to the other issue. What is my opinion on
embryonic stem cell research? Well, that is pretty complex, because my
feelings on the issue are based on my feelings about several different
subjects. Let me start by saying this- I think that this was probably
one of the stupidest moves that Pepsi could have made, because they had
to know that it would be controversial. You don't get involved in
potential controversies when you are trying to appeal to a wide
demographic to sell your product to.
It's kind of like Rick Santorum. Sure, he's got a lot of people
talking about him, but that doesn't necessarily translate to a lot of
people who are willing to buy what he is selling. More than likely, all
the controversy that he has stirred up is going to bite him in the ass
if he ever makes it to the point where he has to start begging for a
bunch of those people he has offended to vote for him to be President.
He's even managed to make boring old Mitt Romney look rather unpalatable
just by drawing attention to the crazier aspects of their party's
ideals, and that guy started out appealing to a pretty big demographic
simply by being completely interested in advancing himself, rather than
the ideas of either party over the other.
In this way, Pepsi has fucked themselves. Now there are going to be
a bunch of people who will refuse to buy their product, many of them
because they either mistakenly think that they are drinking dead babies,
or because Pepsi has now been outed for being on the wrong side of the
abortion debate in the eyes of a significant portion of the population.
Dumb move. I wouldn't be surprised if soda sales in general don't drop
for a while, as people scramble to figure out which companies are
selling dead baby juice and which one's are firmly Pro-Life in their
products and their practices.
How do I feel about embryonic stem cell research? I am strongly in
favor of it. I disagree with the decision made during President Bush's
term to limit research to existing lines of stem cells. In my opinion,
every embryonic stem cell that is available should be available for use
in trying to find cures for the many diseases that have been shown to be
likely to respond to a therapy that uses stem cells. That does not,
however, mean that I agree with a company whose sole purpose is to
produce and sell an unnecessary luxury for profit should be using stem
cell research just to try and boost their profits. Especially not when
that company produces and sells a product intended for consumption.
Frankly, I think that we've already overstepped the bounds of reason
and decency with the amount of crap that is added to our food supply.
Perhaps it is time that we start retraining the palates of human beings
to recognize and appreciate foods and beverages that won't make us glow
in the dark. Don't get me wrong, I like my processed crap food as much
as anyone (and maybe more), and you will pry my Mountain Dew from my
cold dead hands, but I'd like to think that my grandchildren will still
be able to identify an ear of corn as something they can eat; I'm not
positive that this will be the case if things keep going at the rate
they are.
I am not horrified, or morally incensed by the idea of using embryonic
stem cells for research purposes, because I do not hold the belief that
an unviable fetus, unable to live outside of a woman's uterus, is a
person. Certainly, if left in the uterus, and under ideal
circumstances, it has the potential to develop into a person, but that
is kind of like comparing the eating of a walnut to cutting down a tree,
at least in my eyes. I also realize that there are sources for stem
cells that can be used for research that are the natural byproducts of
the birth process. The umbilical cord holds blood that is full of them,
and the majority of those stem cells are wasted because a whole lot of
people refuse to recognize the value of them and consign them to an
incinerator.
Because I am realistic enough to realize that there are likely going to
be fetuses that are not carried to full term and delivered as cute
little wriggly babies, I see no reason not to make use of the cells that
those fetuses contain, should the persons whose bodies created those
cells wish for them to be used in this manner. I also think that every
pregnant woman should be informed about the benefits of saving or
donating the cord blood after she delivers. To me, dead is dead, and it
might as well be useful if it can be- that's why my body is going to be
donated to the medical students to play with and learn from when I'm
done using it. I'm also an organ donor, but I strongly suspect that
when the time comes, my organs will be deemed unworthy for use.
Whatever benefit medicine can derive from keeping and poking around in
my corpse, they are welcome to it.
 |
| Yum. Chili Dogs... |
I will likely
poke around into this subject a little more, just to make certain that
there aren't actually any human cells in my Mountain Dew (I don't drink
Pepsi anyways- if MD is scarce, I'm a Dr. Pepper or Cherry Coke gal) if
it turns out that there are, the ick factor MIGHT lead to me giving up
my habit. Then again, it might not. I already know that there are a
certain amount of rat parts in my hot dogs, but I still can't seem to
give up the occasional chili dog.
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