WARREN, Mich.—An unseasonably warm Fall day in Michigan was a welcome boon for voters flocking to the polls on Tuesday.
Met with only three state proposals on the ballot this November, the one that has stirred up controversy is Proposal 2. The proposal would add an amendment to Michigan’s Constitution, allowing for embryonic stem cell research.
One of the controversial aspects of the amendment would also block any further state or local regulation. At present, Michigan is one of the five most restrictive states in the nation, due to a 1978 law that criminalizes the use of embryos for research, which has effectively discouraged life-science research in the state.
For many Michiganders the proposal is controversial because it concerns the age-old debate regarding when life begins. Opponents, such as the Michigan Catholic Conference and Right-to-Life lobbyists, argue that life begins at conception and, therefore, any use of embryos in research is morally wrong, especially where alternative sources exist for research purposes. While recent advances toward manipulating adult stem cells and skin cells into an embryonic-type state have made great strides, obstacles still exist that limit their use.
Some feel that the argument regarding embryonic stem cell research is taken to an extreme by the main opponent to the proposal, Michigan Citizens Against Unrestricted Science & Experimentation (MiCAUSE). MiCAUSE argues that opening the door to embryonic stem cell research will ultimately lead to human cloning, animal/human hybrids, and higher taxes, all implied consequences that fall outside the actual language contained in Proposal 2.
