[extropy-chat] RE: [wta-politics] Move to ban human cloning likely to divide UN

[Brett Paatsch]

Hmm, I must read through all this it looks real interesting, thanks for
posting
it Reason.

I just had a great idea for a business. Just imagine if there was no law and
order
anymore because people didn't care about or weren't interested in the UN
Charter or the Constitutions of their countries. Somewhere sometime a great
leader might emerge as the commander in chief of a great military power that
was determined to reshape the whole world according to its own great image.
Of  course being the great power it would have trade links with nearly
everyone
and anyone that it couldn't out-compete it could handicap 'cause after all
what
is international law worth really and what has it done for us lately. The
important
thing would be to ensure that the various small players didn't hang together
and
ruin your protection racket so one would have to hire a few capable folk as
under-bosses and pay 'em off so they could be relaxed and comfortable. That
way one could control the rate of change in society by banning or curtailing
those who might have more talent and skill.

Interesting notion, but I guess nah it would never work, people are just
too smart for that ;-) And then one little piece of space junk wandering in
might ruin your whole day. Ant politics is likely to be a matter of supreme
indifference to ant-eaters. Besides we can rely on people who like closed
societies to lie :-)

Brett

PS: Reason wrote and I will not amend it 'cause I like it - its provocative
and bears re-reading.

> The attacks on theraputic cloning are causing great damage to medical
> progress in this field:
>
> http://www.azdailysun.com/non_sec/nav_includes/story.cfm?storyID=75791
> "President Bush's current limitations on stem cell research and a bill
that
> would place criminal penalties on scientists who use a particular cloning
> process are causing biotechnology corporations to fall apart or flee to
> other countries, according to a stem cell scientist."
>
>
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=534&e=3&u=/ap/20031027/ap_on
> _sc/stem_cell_research
> "if embryonic stem cell research had not been involved in politics we
would
> be far ahead of where we are today."
>
> Stem cell research and theraputic cloning are fundamental to all the most
> promising advances in regenerative medicine. This is not pie in the sky
> science: amazing cures - for Parkinson's, heart disease, bone damage,
nerve
> damage, burns, liver damage, Crohn's, etc - have been demonstrated in the
> labs or in early trials, only to be shut down, banned, or die off from
lack
> of funding. The current US administration - and many other governments
> worldwide - have shown that their members do not care how much suffering
> they are causing through their policies. Without activism and opposition,
we
> can all expect to live shorter, more painful lives: regenerative medicine
is
> a part of the fast track to extended healthy lives.
>
> Please use the following links to see how you can help to make your voice
> heard. I urge you to contact your elected representatives and tell them
that
> what they are doing (or allowing to happen) is immoral and wrong. Hundreds
> of millions of people are suffering and dying today, now, from conditions
> that could soon be cured, or might already be curable, if not for these
> attacks on theraputic cloning and stem cell research.
>
> A total ban on theraputic cloning in the US is still pending:
>
>
http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/oppose_the_theraputic_cloning_ban.cfm
>
> The European Parliament is still looking at banning all stem cell
research:
>
>
http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/oppose_the_european_stem_cell_ban.cfm
>
> More information on the UN global ban on theraputic cloning is here:
>
>
http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/oppose_global_theraputic_cloning_ban.c
> fm
>
> The FDA has blocked a working therapy for heart disease that could save an
> estimated 50,000 lives worldwide every day:
>
> http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/protest_fda_interference.cfm
>
> If stem cell therapies and theraputic cloning are banned, you, personally,
> will one day die from a disease that would be have been curable. Today,
now,
> 150,000 people will die worldwide, mostly from diseases and conditions
that
> will soon be curable, or would be curable without these attacks on medical
> research. Are you going to let that go, or are you going to stand up and
> fight the small faction of politicians who are trying to stop progress?
>
> Reason
> http://www.exratio.com
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: wta-politics-admin at transhumanism.org
> > [mailto:wta-politics-admin at transhumanism.org]On Behalf Of Hughes, James
> > Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 12:40 PM
> > To: wta-politics at transhumanism.org
> > Subject: [wta-politics] Move to ban human cloning likely to divide UN
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c
> =StoryFT&cid=1066565433416
> >
> > Move to ban human cloning likely to divide UN
> >
> > By Mark Turner at the United Nations and Clive Cookson in London
> >
> > Published: October 28 2003 17:30 | Last Updated: October 28 2003 17:30
> >
> >
> > The US and the UK, normally stalwart allies on the international stage,
> > may be heading for a face-off at the United Nations over moves towards
> > an international convention banning all forms of human cloning.
> >
> > Diplomats said a decision was expected this week or early next week on
> > whether to press for a vote in the UN General Assembly. Costa Rica, the
> > US and almost 60 other countries have sponsored a resolution calling for
> > a convention against human cloning to be prepared by next year. In the
> > meantime, it says states should prohibit the research, development or
> > application of "any technique aimed at human cloning".
> >
> > While General Assembly resolutions are not binding, its supporters
> > believe the agreement would send a powerful message about human
> > society's willingness to set ethical boundaries on the fast-developing
> > discipline of life sciences.
> >
> > The Costa Rica/US text calls human cloning, for any purpose, "unethical,
> > morally repugnant and contrary to due respect for the human person".
> >
> > At the same time, however, Belgium, the UK, Japan, China and a
> > significant minority of other UN members have sponsored a
> > counter-resolution that would ban human reproductive cloning but allow
> > "therapeutic cloning" for medical research. This is supported by most of
> > the world's scientific academies, including the US National Academy of
> > Sciences.
> >
> > Advocates for the counter-proposal, which has more than 20 co-sponsors,
> > say their text reflects nations' right to determine for themselves where
> > the boundaries lie. The UK argues that cloning early embryos for
> > research could bring significant benefits to human society and does not
> > violate the sanctity of life.
> >
> > US officials say they cannot accept a resolution allowing activity in a
> > field the Bush administration believes is universally unacceptable.
> > "It's important for the international community, even with a divided
> > voice, but a strong voice, to send a message that cloning will not be
> > tolerated," said one.
> >
> > But an opponent of the US position pointed out: "It is ironic that the
> > administration should be pushing for an international convention to ban
> > all cloning when it cannot even get Congress to agree on legislation."
> >
> > Faced with two irreconcilable positions, proponents of the Costa Rica
> > text must choose whether to abandon the vote or press ahead with a
> > resolution that a significant minority of countries oppose. Were the
> > resolution to pass, the UN could face a situation where only some
> > countries actively participated in, and eventually applied, a new
> > convention.
> >
> > "You wouldn't get full participation in the negotiations, and who knows
> > who would ratify it," said a UN diplomat who opposed the universal ban.
> > "If you have a resolution only supporters sign up to, it doesn't
> > strengthen regulation at all."