Wisconsin Republicans Stand WITH Cancer

By Jeff Simpson

On Wednesday September 9^th, the Wisconsin Assembly will be discussing and voting on AB305.  In AB305, “authored” by Rep. Andre Jacque(R-DePere) and Rep. Joel Kleefisch(R- Oconomowoc) making it  a Class H felony(subject to a fine of not more than $50,000) to do fetal tissue research in WI.  

In Wisconsin, we have some of the finest minds in the field of stem cell research who are not only making, and close to making, major breakthroughs in curing and treating - diabetes, muscular dystrophy, blindness, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, immune disorders, paralysis, leukemia, deadly strains of influenza, how toxins affect human systems. 

Your Wisconsin Republicans are working to make sure that these major advances, not only in quality of life for our fellow human beings, but also have created countless thousands of jobs with each breakthrough, are soon to be illegal.   

Let me say that again.   Any politician who votes yes on AB305(and its soon to be companion bill in the State Senate) is voting to stand with Cancer, blindness, ALS, an numerous other debilitating diseases and against a cure!   

As a two time cancer survivor, it is almost unfathomable that I have to write these words in the year 2015.   

 One thing that keeps me going every day, is the faith that there will be a new breakthrough tomorrow that will be able to treat me if my cancer comes back.  All because we have allowed far right extremists, to take over our state.    

Some of the greatest minds in Wisconsin and leaders of our most thriving businesses, have wasted countless hours testifying how devastating this bill will be to our quality of life and our economy and as most testimony does in Madison, it seems to have fallen on deaf ears.   

While the supporters of this bill will talk about the “harvesting of babies” they will know this is a completely false narrative(pushed further by long debunked videos).   

The fetal stem cells that are used in this incredibly important research, if this bill passes, will now be thrown away.  Disposing of these CELLS, is apparently more important to the extremists than curing diseases so others may live.   

As prominent bioethicist R. Alta Charo of the University of Wisconsin says “ Virtually every person in this country has benefited from research using fetal tissue. Every child who's been spared the risks and misery of chickenpox, rubella, or polio can thank the Nobel Prize recipients and other scientists who used such tissue in research yielding the vaccines that protect us (and give even the unvaccinated the benefit of herd immunity). This work has been going on for nearly a century, and the vaccines it produced have been in use nearly as long. Any discussion of the ethics of fetal tissue research must begin with its unimpeachable claim to have saved the lives and health of millions of people."

The choice is simple, do we increase the quality of life for us, our children and grandchildren or do we appease a few hard core extremists who cannot accept that science and religion are compatible.  

My Bible is filled with story after story of Jesus healing the sick.  There were people during his time also that felt the need to stop these acts, but I have not seen a faith yet that worships the oppressors and not the One doing the healing.    

It is very important that you contact your legislator and tell them this bill is harmful and irresponsible.   If they refuse and continue to stand on the side of Cancer….make sure to put party preferences aside in the next election and let them know that is completely unacceptable and worthy of a spot in the unemployment line. 

The New York Times, the UW Board of Regents and WMC all agree that this is a bad bill and needs to go away!