Run for hills! Civilization is doomed! Aaiiieeeeeeee.....!!!!!!!!!!
Not really. But listening to the critics of human cloning, one might be
excused if he thought the Apocalypse were nigh. Scientists in
California produced a clone from the skin cells of one of the
scientists involved. (See
here.) The goal is to use cloning as a means to deal with various medical issues not amenable to other treatment options.
NBC evening news had its pet “bioethicist” announce his usual verbal
garbage and pompously declare that there should be a “bright line” of
prohibition between using cloned cells for medical treatment and
producing another human being. Why? Who the hell knows? Apparently, it
is supposed to be obvious, sort of like “global
warming”...er...“climate change”...er...whatever they’re calling it
this hour. It’s
verboten even to question the received wisdom.
But even if cloning a human being were “unethical” — it wouldn’t be — it should not be subject to legal action. The
only
actions that should be a matter for criminal prosecution are those that
violate someone’s rights. But no one’s rights would be violated by the
production of a human clone. No one can prove otherwise, because there
is (assuming the cells were voluntarily provided and the owner agreed
to the procedure) no initiation of force against anyone. Nor would
cloning, in general, be immoral, any more than is artificial
insemination or
in vitro fertilization or any other of the
once-controversial reproductive treatments that are now routine. Or
organ transplantation. Or genetic engineering to correct faults. Or
lens implants. Or...
The Luddites and the eco-nuts join (overlap?) forces in opposing
cloning. The unconstitutional and rights-violating FDA “approved” the
sale of meat and milk from cloned animals and got those fun
back-to-nature folks all in a tizzy. (See
here.) But the sale of
any
product (absent coercion) is of no legal concern to anyone except the
buyer and the seller. Whether it’s milk or meat from cloned animals,
milk from hormone-treated cows, irradiated food, trans-fat laden food,
goose liver, oranges that are “too small,” or even — yech — “organic”
food, the State has no business involving itself. If someone doesn’t
care for the product, he doesn’t have to buy it. Or he can try to
dissuade others from buying it. But no one has the right to prohibit
the sale of such foodstuffs.
The food fascists and anti-progress reactionaries need to butt out of other people’s lives.
My life, my body, my choice.
That’s not a hard concept to understand, but these nut cases choose to
ignore and evade the reality of self-ownership and all that such a
precept entails.
Hey! All you folks who think my life and my property belong to you. Look at what I’m doing with my middle finger...and...
Clone this...
(from
Don't Get Me Started!, 1-18-08)
