Stem cell proposal wins in close balloting
Adam KaminskiMichigan voters approved Proposal 2 on Tuesday.
The stem cell ballot was approved 53 percent to 47 percent with 55 percent of precincts reporting as of midnight today.
Proposal 2 allows stem cell embryonic research. Embryonic stem cells are early forms of human life. People can donate embryos left over from fertility treatments for scientific research. Embryos not donated would have been thrown away as medical waste.
Woodhaven senior Kelly Pearcy voted "yes" on Proposal 2.
"They're just going to throw them away. It's wasteful otherwise," Pearcy said.
Research is done through embryos that develop from eggs fertilized in an in-vitro fertilization. Embryos will be donated for research purposes with a consent from the donor.
The embryos that are donated are not from eggs fertilized in a woman's body.
Andrew Neal, 26, an attorney in Washington state who is originally from Mount Pleasant voted "yes."
"I don't think that life begins when the sperm hits the egg," Neal said. "I don't think we're playing God."
Amanda Worsley, 28, a 2003 CMU alumna, works for an oral surgeon in Mount Pleasant and voted "no."
Worsley said there needs to be more research on the topic. She was not swayed by the television ads and did her own research.
"I'm just really against getting embryos just for testing," Worsley said.
Hastings senior Zachary Allen voted "yes."
"They're just going to throw the embryos away. Why not?" Allen said. "Let's see what we can do with them."
Wyoming sophomore John Klumpp, vice president of Campus Conservatives, said Proposal 2 will benefit health care but would cause the federal government to help out too much.
"If the funding is there, you don't know the outcome of it," Klumpp said. "If you find cures, how much will it cost and will it be accessible to certain people?"
Klumpp said Proposal 2 could potentially create jobs, but it would depend on management.
"It depends on how the programs are set up and ran," Klumpp said.
Rev. Will Prospero of St. Mary's University Parish said in an e-mail to Central Michigan Life that this approval marks a sad day for Michigan and humanity.
He said the destruction of innocent human life of one group so that another might benefit is not good for humanity.
College Democratic President Karl Bouwhuis, a Lowell senior, said Proposal 2 will allow for advancements in finding cures for horrible diseases.
"This is a step forward for health care," Bouwhuis said. "This will have an effect on diabetes, Parkinson's and other diseases."
Bouwhuis said Proposal 2 will not only enhance the health care field, but the economy.
"Proposal 2 is not publicly funded and will not raise taxes. This will bring more high-tech jobs into Michigan," he said.
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