Fritz posted the following to alt.atheism:

> Sure.  The process can be greatly accelerated by passing laws forbidding
> anyone to benefit from medical technology which they actively oppose.

I've been singing exactly the same tune for years. 

> For example, all of those who sign petitions or work in some manner against
> research involving fetal tissues and stem cells would be banned from
> deriving any sort of benefit from the research or from developments which
> were later derived from this research.

Absolutely. Take their name in a database and use it to ostracize such
stagnators of progression from any benefits gained. None of this having
their cake and eating it too nonsense.

"If you want the research banned, fine. Just be aware that your aversion
might eventually jump up and bite you in the face."

> While this would prohibit them from obtaining, for example, many kinds of
> gene therapy in the future, it would also have an immediate effect - no
> in vitro fertilizations.  

> Immediate reproductive benefits for our side.

I saw a documentary about some gene splicing about a week ago. It seems
human DNA (or something similar - you'd know more about it than I) was
spliced into a cow's ovum and allowed to gestate. Apparently it started
dividing and growing and at first it resembled an embryo (kinda weird,
'cowman' - heh),  but it soon reverted to mere tissue growth, the name
of which escapes me right now. The idea being that further refinement of
the technology could provide the means by which we could grow liver
tissue or heart tissue or whatever to repair damaged organs with no fear
of rejection -- eventually, maybe even growing entire organs. Of course,
someone immediately jumped on the bandwagon to ban the splicing of human
tissue with bovine tissue or some such drivel.

Yaaaaay.

Now all we need is a good ol' fashioned book-burning!

Anyway, here's a scene I'd like to see:

[screen goes wavy as we cut to a doctor's office somewhere]

Doctor: "Bad news Mr Smith, our tests show that your heart is bleeding
and you need a transplant -- it's the only solution."

Ban-zealot: "Oh dear. Oh my. Immuno-suppressants for the rest of my
life! Oh woe is me! And what if we can't find a suitable donor? Oh my."

Doctor: "They're no longer problems. Nowadays we merely need a bit of
your tissue and we can grow you a brand new heart in less than a month.
The surgery is routine, and you'll be better than new in about two
months."

Ban-zealot: "Great! When can you start?"

Doctor: "Just a moment, I'll enter your name in the register and . .oh,
wait a minute . . . there seems to be a problem."

Ban-zealot: "What? What's the problem? Wrong blood type or something?"

Doctor: "No, it seems you lobbied to ban the research that led to our
current ability to perform the procedures I just mentioned."

Ban-zealot: "Oh. Well . . well yes I did, but that was *then*. I don't
object to the technology *now*."

Doctor: "I'm sorry, but your previous objections preclude your access to
the technology and there's nothing I can do about it."

Ban-zealot: "But . . but it's different now!"

Doctor: "Ah yes, it's always different now, isn't it? Of course, if
you'd got your wish we wouldn't *have* the technology -- so what are you
complaining about? Just pretend you got your wish."

Ban-zealot: "But . . I'll die. What about my life?"

Doctor: "What about *your* life?? Your objections slowed research by
about ten years which cost *thousands* of lives, none of whom supported
the ban, and all of which could have been saved by the technology you
fought to prevent. I'm afraid it's a case of 'tough titty' Mr Smith; you
should have thought a bit harder about your actions because now you're
being held accountable for those actions -- and it's time to pay the
piper. Sorry, can't help you. Next!"

Ban-zealot: "But . . but . . but without a new heart I'll die! Where's
your *compassion*?? You're killing me! That's inhuman!"

Doctor: "What are you still doing here? Get out."

Ban-zealot: "YOU'RE KILLING ME!!"

Doctor: "Actually I'm just doing to you what you did to thousands of
other human beings -- refusing your access to the same medical technology
that you prevented others from accessing. You didn't give a moment's
thought to the people who might die as a result, and I'm giving you
exactly the same consideration. Not so nice when the faceless masses
take on a more personal perspective, is it? Now stop wasting my time and
take your - heh - bleeding heart the fuck out of my office."

Stix