HIGH SCHOOL RUNNER UP

Essay by Kaitlyn McCarthy, Yardley, Pennsylvania

The television is off now, my family heading soberly up to bed, but I am in turmoil and feel horribly let down. I watched a speech this evening, and I feel very ashamed by my thoughts while I watched it. As I watched and listened intently, the speaker talked about how "human life is a sacred gift from our Creator" and if federal funds would be used for embryonic stem cell research.

As I continued to listen, the topic of cures for disabling diseases, Alzheimer's and juvenile diabetes was brought up, and how this research has the potential for incredible good. Slowly, this research started sounding not so wrong. I kept contemplating - "why not?", this could improve lives and cure diseases. Anyway, I thought, the human stem cells that would be used were already in existence, so what was really so bad?

Then reasoning returned. "NO, this is wrong!" and despite the sugar coating of this topic, immoral is still immoral. I had taken the bait, and for that - I am ashamed.

So, after falling into the trap that was set and then releasing myself from it, I waited to know: had this leader chosen to fund the extracting of little human beings. It was then concluded that we would in fact conduct research, and fund it with tax payer dollars. The "conclusion" that was reached made me feel betrayed.

Embryonic stem cell research is the harvesting of dead babies cells, and this is cruel. It is the growing of human beings for our convenience and if we have come to the point where we trod on the bodies of dead babies to help us live a little longer or feel a little bit better then this is very grievous. The language that was used to describe this harvesting is encompassed by flowery words. Excess stem cells, greater good, human by-products, and potential all try to make this atrocity sound rational, but that would be rationalizing the irrational. Despite the diseases which some scientists think can be cured by this, no good ever has or will come out of evil.

Despite all of this, I have faith. I know that if I persevere And continue to pray for those babies, their mothers, and abortionists, pro-lifers will gain ground. It is an uphill battle, but so was the American Revolution. Mother Teresa said it best: "It is truly a poverty that a child must die, so that you may live as you wish." Let us hope and pray, that the murder ends, and that these little human cells stop being exploited for "human kind's gain".

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