Wow! What else can Kerry do for us?

[monkee]

This has been bothering me since I heard about it a few days ago. I guess this implication is that if we care about disabled people, all we have to do is vote for Kerry and they shall be healed!

"If we do the work that we can do in this country, the work that we will do when John Kerry is president, people like Christopher Reeve are going to get up out of that wheelchair and walk again," Edwards told the Iowa audience.

At the very least, seems a bit opportunistic and in poor taste, if you ask me.


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[bobbcat]

Hey, I am waiting to see Kerry/Edwards walk on water!

[mayor]

Be HEALED!

The truth is, there is not ONE lick of stem cell research to support this claim. There is no evidence that indicates they can even BEGIN to heal the spinal cord from the research they have done.

This is political pandering and lying at its very worst. These people are obscene.

Mayor

[pierbum]

Originally Posted by monkee

This has been bothering me since I heard about it a few days ago. I guess this implication is that if we care about disabled people, all we have to do is vote for Kerry and they shall be healed!



At the very least, seems a bit opportunistic and in poor taste, if you ask me.


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Actually, as should each person of voting age, I don't give a darn about what political party one belongs to..although I have to say 29 years experience has showed me that the Democratic Party seems to have a reality grip on things. However I digress. The truth is: who is throwing the first stone. Why cannot one be optimistic, that things eventually CAN be better as far as research? Christopher Reeve was used a bit wildly, I admit. His spinal injury was probably a 19 on a scale of 20, just as my Dad's stroke was the same. But we never gave up in those 7-8 years. We always believed that further research could begin a slight healing process. All right, we were dead wrong.

The point given: Perhaps there can be hope, with more research. Perhaps there WILL be a miracle in time. Why give up?? It is worth a try! ...and I for one won't turn my back on taking a chance when it may be feasible.

Stop throwing stones. There are things I don't like about each candidate, but all of you know that we HAVE to get behind someone. There's a term that stick with me from early journalism classes. MUDSLINGING...jumping on the bandwagon. That's exactly what I see here.

Ok, flame on. I would expect no more, and no less. Put me down beause I see hope. Then, after I'm insulted enough, I will delete my dern post, just to make YOU happy. Fair enough?

Bess
.......waiting for a cure for two of my diseases, and willing to do whatever is necessary, not only for myself, but for others. You guys take care -- I have no ill will, only pain, pieces of my life gone, depression...and HOPE...

Oh, and I am handicapped, disabled, a chronic pain patient, or whatever you wish to call me.. It's all the same. Fortunately, I can walk, and the stones can bounce off without too much lasting damage.

[monkee]

Originally Posted by pierbum

Actually, as should each person of voting age, I don't give a darn about what political party one belongs to..although I have to say 29 years experience has showed me that the Democratic Party seems to have a reality grip on things. However I digress. The truth is: who is throwing the first stone. Why cannot one be optimistic, that things eventually CAN be better as far as research? Christopher Reeve was used a bit wildly, I admit. His spinal injury was probably a 19 on a scale of 20, just as my Dad's stroke was the same. But we never gave up in those 7-8 years. We always believed that further research could begin a slight healing process. All right, we were dead wrong.

The point given: Perhaps there can be hope, with more research. Perhaps there WILL be a miracle in time. Why give up?? It is worth a try! ...and I for one won't turn my back on taking a chance when it may be feasible.

Stop throwing stones. There are things I don't like about each candidate, but all of you know that we HAVE to get behind someone. There's a term that stick with me from early journalism classes. MUDSLINGING...jumping on the bandwagon. That's exactly what I see here.

Ok, flame on. I would expect no more, and no less. Put me down beause I see hope. Then, after I'm insulted enough, I will delete my dern post, just to make YOU happy. Fair enough?

Bess
.......waiting for a cure for two of my diseases, and willing to do whatever is necessary, not only for myself, but for others. You guys take care -- I have no ill will, only pain, pieces of my life gone, depression...and HOPE...

Oh, and I am handicapped, disabled, a chronic pain patient, or whatever you wish to call me.. It's all the same. Fortunately, I can walk, and the stones can bounce off without too much lasting damage.

I don't see where you get from this thread that anyone has "given up hope" for cures for diseases? The thing that offends me is that, like Mayor said, there is no proof that stem cell or any other research would cure this kind of injury. Edwards was making an inflammatory, over-the-top remark and trying to use someone's death for his own political gain. Disgusting and ridiculous.

[mayfly]

I agree, Edwards is offering miracles as a political ploy to gain from Christopher Reeves death, its the motive we object to. We all have the hope to someday be able to cure diseases we suffer from today.

[pierbum]

Originally Posted by monkee

I don't see where you get from this thread that anyone has "given up hope" for cures for diseases? The thing that offends me is that, like Mayor said, there is no proof that stem cell or any other research would cure this kind of injury. Edwards was making an inflammatory, over-the-top remark and trying to use someone's death for his own political gain. Disgusting and ridiculous.

The gentleman may have used that name or example to give people a name that is recognizeable and mostly loved. Betch it wasn't meant as anything more. I certainly take no offense. Wouldn't have taken any offenze had he mentioned my father's name insteas. but...you have recognized that one??? No. Sometimes one just have to take a calculated rish that makes sense. It is meant with good intentions, NOT to insult Christopher Reve's family. It was meant in honor.

"Disgusting, ridiculous", and full of hope in things that may prove positive. Why not allow a chance, instead of putting it down? He's only years ahead of his time in that belief. Either way, it woulds like a winner. His crime is that he has not put years of research into this type of thing, himself. That's a tough one to carry. Time will give each of us wisdom. And reality.

Stem research may not cure this particular injury, but one probably cannot count the times that an intended goal leads to another cure or "clue." It sure sounds good to be. As they say, "walk a mile..." That could also be "walk a mile in someone else's ****..." never know what you may discover. How 'bout taking this at face value. Try not to let your feelings get so sensitive. We lost our "Superman," and let's honor him by the simple act of remembering.

Peace

[monkee]

Originally Posted by pierbum

Disgusting, ridiculous, and full of hope in things that may prove positive. Why not allow a chance, instead of putting it down? He's only years ahead of his time in that belief. Either way, it woulds like a winner. His crime is that he has not put years of research into this type of thing, himself. That's a tough one to carry. Time will give each of us wisdom. And reality.

Stem research may not cure this particular injury, but oou probably cannot count the times that an intended goal leads to another cure or "clue." It sure sounds good to be. As they say, "walk a mile..." That could also be "walk a mile in someone else's ****..." never know what you may discover.

Peace

Okay, I think I see where you're coming from here. No one said that Edwards should be doing his own stem cell research, if that's what you're saying. He should, however, make an effort to know something about it before he goes running his mouth about it and making himself look like an insensitive idiot.

I'm not putting down research into trying to cure diseases. That's ludicrous. I'm saying Edwards just stuck his foot in it and he should not have said what he said. He could have made a point about being all for stem cell research without invoking the name of someone who just died and trying to use people's emotional reaction to his death for his own gain. I can't believe that anyone would defend that.

To me, it just shows that Edwards has no qualms about using other people's personal misery and misfortune for his own gain.

[prism68]

Originally Posted by monkee

...
To me, it just shows that Edwards has no qualms about using other people's personal misery and misfortune for his own gain.

You're right, and another example is how Kerry dropped Cheney's daughter's name in the debate- to use her lesbianism as a point.
Lyn (mama) jumped right on that as she should have.

True, Cheney used that information himself, but it was HIS daughter's name to use.

[bobbcat]

I am fascinated by the notion that is voiced in this thread and others, that it is impossible to accomplish things without gov't funds. Stem cell research will march on. All this controversy and the subsequent attempts on the part of Kerry and Edwards to make political hay at the expense of others is being hashed over the notion that public funding should not go to support the destruction of future embryos for stem cell research projects. I think it is high time people gleaned the proper perspective on these issues, that being that it is not appropriate to expect public funding to pay for everything!!

[prism68]

Originally Posted by bobbcat

I am fascinated by the notion that is voiced in this thread and others, that it is impossible to accomplish things without gov't funds. Stem cell research will march on. All this controversy and the subsequent attempts on the part of Kerry and Edwards to make political hay at the expense of others is being hashed over the notion that public funding should not go to support the destruction of future embryos for stem cell research projects. I think it is high time people gleaned the proper perspective on these issues, that being that it is not appropriate to expect public funding to pay for everything!!

Amen

The other thing that always gets me in this stem-cell argument is:

GEORGE W. BUSH IS THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO FUND THIS AT ALL!!!!

[pierbum]

Originally Posted by monkee

Okay, I think I see where you're coming from here. No one said that Edwards should be doing his own stem cell research, if that's what you're saying. He should, however, make an effort to know something about it before he goes running his mouth about it and making himself look like an insensitive idiot.

I'm not putting down research into trying to cure diseases. That's ludicrous. I'm saying Edwards just stuck his foot in it and he should not have said what he said. He could have made a point about being all for stem cell research without invoking the name of someone who just died and trying to use people's emotional reaction to his death for his own gain. I can't believe that anyone would defend that.

To me, it just shows that Edwards has no qualms about using other people's personal misery and misfortune for his own gain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ah-haaaa!!! NOW we're starting to think . Good!!!!Christopher Reeve was all for Stem Cell Research, which is simply one of the million research approaches to different diseases. In using his name, we honor his memory, we honor what he stood for. We GET someone's ATTENTION. Now, THAT's a good thing, right? A politician is very far away from a researcher, a scientist, ... but Edwards accomplished the same thing in drawing attention to the necessity of research, of taking chances in the hopes of breakthroughs...even at the expense of rattling lots of cages. It worked, huh? He had no intention of getting overyly sensitive people disgusted at the choice of words...but the end result was good. I defend that! I defend the result of getting people emotional. Simply put again: it worked. This wasn't simply a matter of one man's good reputation. It was a man standing up for what he believed. Christopher Reeve's death wasn't in vain. He was a soldier in the name of research and possibilities. I defend anyone's use of his name and reputation, if it should be part of the journey to what is good and decent in this world.

There. Got y'all to thinking in an open minded (hopefully) fashion. After this, I fade away. Couldn't be happier, and I also know that insults are just an end result to "thinking." And that's good.

A friend to all,
...just me

[monkee]

Originally Posted by pierbum

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ah-haaaa!!! NOW we're starting to think . Good!!!!Christopher Reeve was all for Stem Cell Research, which is simply one of the million research approaches to different diseases. In using his name, we honor his memory, we honor what he stood for. We GET someone's ATTENTION. Now, THAT's a good thing, right? A politician is very far away from a researcher, a scientist, ... but Edwards accomplished the same thing in drawing attention to the necessity of research, of taking chances in the hopes of breakthroughs...even at the expense of rattling lots of cages. It worked, huh? He had no intention of getting overyly sensitive people disgusted at the choice of words...but the end result was good. I defend that! I defend the result of getting people emotional. Simply put again: it worked. This wasn't simply a matter of one man's good reputation. It was a man standing up for what he believed. Christopher Reeve's death wasn't in vain. He was a soldier in the name of research and possibilities. I defend anyone's use of his name and reputation, if it should be part of the journey to what is good and decent in this world.

There. Got y'all to thinking in an open minded (hopefully) fashion. After this, I fade away. Couldn't be happier, and I also know that insults are just an end result to "thinking." And that's good.

A friend to all,
...just me

I'm not sure what "insults" you're referring to, but I'll leave that to you.

I would point out, however, that there's a difference between "honoring" someone's memory and using their death for your own gain. John Edwards didn't say "Christopher Reeve was a great guy and he supported stem cell research and so do we". He said that if you vote for John Kerry, people like Christopher Reeve would walk again,so vote for John Kerry. He's using him and his death to try to get Kerry elected. It's outrageous. John Kerry isn't going to make someone walk again. Edwards didn't even say that Kerry would support stem cell research in the hope that maybe someday it would find a cure. He said, flat out, that John Kerry's election as president would result in a cure for paralysis. The fact is, no one knows what stem cell research will or won't cure. He made himself sound like a complete moron with delusions of grandeur and a hugely over-inflated ego.

[Jennifer M.]

I'm just curious and maybe I am way off base since I don't get into this political stuff often, but how would everyone against Edwards comments feel if this was Bush/Cheney bringing up stem cell research and had used Ronald Reagan's name? Would you still feel the same as you do now?

[CagedTroll]

Originally Posted by prism68

Amen

The other thing that always gets me in this stem-cell argument is:

GEORGE W. BUSH IS THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO FUND THIS AT ALL!!!!

Big "whoop".


He's the first president that's had an opportunity to fund it. Kinda like Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to ride in a car; not a huge accomplishment for him since the car wasn't invented till the 1880s. Stem-cells weren't available for research [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]. It took another year or so just to get through the bureaucracy to get approval for federal funding. That approval, btw, came from Clinton.