Rob Colquhoun - advocacy_work

truth will set you free notes

noreply@blogspirit.com (Mr) — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 00:20:59 +0200

In a July 29th 2005 press release, the World Health Organization openly admitted that cobined estrogen-progestogen Oral Contraceptives are carcinogenic to humans. http://www.iarc.fr/ENG/Press_Releases/pr167a.html

As Mother Teresa said, "Intense love does not measure . . . it just gives."(1) Or in the words of Pope John Paul II, a young heart feels "a desire for greater generosity, more commitment, greater love. This desire for more is a characteristic of youth; a heart that is in love does not calculate, does not begrudge, it wants to give of itself without measure. . . ."(2) "There is no place for selfishness--and no place for fear! Do not be afraid, then, when love makes demands. Do not be afraid when love requires sacrifice. . . ."(3) "Real love is demanding. I would fail in my mission if I did not tell you so. Love demands a personal commitment to the will of God."(4)

So, the virtue of purity is not first a "no" to illicit sex, but a "yes" to authentic love. It is a "yes" to the truth of the goodness of our bodies and the gift of sex. It is not a prolonged series of "no"s but a continual "yes" to Jesus. Since we receive more grace each time we say yes to God, we soon see how possible and joyful this life really is. The Blessed Mother offers us the perfect example of how to live this when, in the Gospel of Luke, she gives us the recipe for holiness: "Let it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). The more we are able to imitate her "yes," the more joy and peace we will find in our lives. Someone asked Mother Teresa how we could become saints and she said: "Whenever Jesus asks something of you, say 'yes.' "

Living the virtue of chastity now means that you cherish your future marriage more than passing pleasures. Living with a pure heart will also prepare you to be a better wife or husband because you will learn how to express intimacy without always needing to be physical. It has been said that when a couple has healthy intimacy, the closer the two become the more they become themselves. When a couple is experiencing unhealthy intimacy, they usually feel as if they are losing their identity.

1. Mother Teresa, as quoted by www.motherteresa.com.
2. Pope John Paul II, address, 18 May 1988, Asuncion, Paraguay. As quoted by Pedro Beteta López, ed., The Meaning of Vocation (Princeton, New Jersey: Scepter Publishers, 1997), 18–19.
3. Pope John Paul II, address, 22 November 1986, Auckland, New Zealand. As quoted by López, ed., The Meaning of Vocation, 19.
4. Pope John Paul II, address, 1 October 1979, Boston, Massachusetts, United States. As quoted by López, ed., The Meaning of Vocation, 19–20.

Marathon thank you

noreply@blogspirit.com (Mr) — Tue, 22 May 2007 23:27:51 +0200

Thank you very much indeed for sponsoring me to run for the Catholic Children’s Society in the London marathon. We have almost reached our fundraising target of £2,000 for the charity. I visited their headquarters the week of the event and it was great to find out more on the excellent projects they are involved in, such as the counselling services and family centres in Canary Wharf that they run. A recent report by UNICEF (www.unicef-icdc.org/publications/pdf/rc7_eng.pdf) showed Britain having the worst child well being record of 21 industrialised countries- which just shows that you don’t need to go half way round the world to discover poverty.

The marathon was on quite a hot day (22ºC) and that made the race all the harder to run. I managed to get round the course in 4 hours and 13 minutes, slightly slower than anticipated- but it is the taking part that counts! The event was extremely well organised. I ran the event 3 years ago and the goodie bag you receive at the end has got considerably better! There were water bottles every mile. This year I managed to get a glimpse of the leaders of the race as the course doubles back on itself after you have done a circuit of the Isle of Dogs. It was the last 8 miles that were especially difficult as I really ran out of energy this year for the first time (conventionally known as ‘hitting the wall’). After that you have to rely on your reserve energy sources to finish the race!

Thank you very much once again and some pictures below of Richard and myself.

With best regards,

Robert.

Mheer

noreply@blogspirit.com (Mr) — Tue, 16 May 2006 22:54:44 +0200

National Committee Weekend

Mheer, Netherlands Thursday 13^th of April until the 15^th of April 2006

World Youth Alliance-Europe hosted a National Committee weekend to gather and train the most committed and brightest WYA members in Europe. Over 20 young people, from a considerable number of European countries, travelled to Mheer in the Netherlands, in-order to train and commit themselves to the national ideas and works of WYA.

Training and formation of our best members is a very high priority for our region and a prerequisite for training others and shaping our culture. We recognise the crucial importance of bringing young people together to build solidarity and share experiences and ideas.

As it is essential to establish a stable structure, the members of the committee were trained using Track A (equivalent to Training set 1) for it is vital to grasp the purpose, method and direction of the work of World Youth Alliance. The ideas are then implicated through living experience and by gaining an understanding of their application at the level of international policy and culture.

Committee members then formed local and national strategic plans for Europe to advocate for the dignity of the human person through E.U. policy work, publications and training seminars. The strategic plans of each country would involve the implementation of internal development, advocacy, training and projects.

European Region focuses on National Committee Strategies

European National Committee candidates and members were treated to a weekend in a beautiful country house in the Netherlands during which they participated in training and strategic planning. The first day provided an in depth examination of the founding story and core ideas and achievements of the World Youth Alliance. The second day focused on sustainable structures and concrete plans for the future of the region. The European Directors invite interested members to apply for positions on the National Committees.

link: http://www.wya.net/news/newsitem.html?newsid=22

Training Manual

noreply@blogspirit.com (Mr) — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 16:56:33 +0200

World Youth Alliance Training Set 1

Robert Colquhoun

1. WYA Declarations
Read each declaration and summarize what the declaration was written for and what it
attempts to convey in 2 sentences for each declaration.

W.Y.A. Declaration.
The declaration was written as a charter to the organization, outlining its main principles succinctly and explaining the motives to those principles in language that attempts to be universal to humanity. It attempts to convey values that are rooted in humanity and also ideas on freedom, culture and the family.

Declaration on Responsible stewardship
The declaration was written to expound the meaning of responsible stewardship, and to affirm the need to take care of the environment. It affirms the need to have integral development and acknowledges the human beings as the world’s most important resources.

Declaration on the human person
This declaration appeals to the dignity of the human person, explaining this through stating that it is inviolable, intrinsic and inalienable. It also appeals to love and the self giving as the basis of discovery of the human person.

Declaration on the family
Here the family is explained and its benefits are analysed as being: learning about love, securing democracy, and forming free and responsible citizens. It explains how families ensure the continuity of life and how media and members of society can create a culture and environment that is authentically family friendly.

Statement on Human Cloning
This outstanding statement, written by a genius states a position on human cloning, explaining how both forms of cloning are both ethically wrong. It calls for the international community to ban human cloning and explains how methods are contrary to human dignity.

Declaration on HIV/AIDS
This declaration, explains the family as a potential structure to the prevention to HIV, as well as the improvement of health care, especially testing and counselling services. It also recognizes the importance of education and a concept of abstinence that must always be part of HIV prevention programs.

Statement on Woman
This statement understands that women may take many roles in society. Women are understood to be equal in dignity, with the gift to others (potentially through motherhood) a key basis for society. Dignity is understood as intrinsic to humanity and woman is also described as an architect of peace in all levels of society.

2. Communism Conference Speech
a. What were the underlying causes for the emergence of Solidarity in Poland?
Solidarity emerged in Poland because of the renewal of social awareness and a culture that wanted to embrace the truth of the human person. They were not movements motivated politically but more from an individual basis and aspiring for truth.

b. What was the goal of Solidarity?
The goal of Solidarity was not to attack the government or power, but to renew social awareness through the tool of culture. It was also to help nurture and acknowledge the truth of the human person.

c. How did Solidarity keep its methods and vision clear, and related to their objectives?
Solidarity methods were kept clear because they were working on a local level, through the actions of individuals and because they did not challenge the leadership of the country directly (at first). It was through attacking the hidden structures of society that Solidarity could ensure that its vision could be clear. It was through the understanding that culture was the most important method that their objectives could be realized at first (and not through political action).

d. In what way is the Solidarity experience related to the WYA experience?
The Solidarity experience is similar to the WYA because both recognize the importance of culture in forming thought and action in society. Both organizations work on a philosophical basis of an understanding of the human person and a framework from that. Both organizations have a non confrontational basis and an emphasis of working through and organizing communities. Both organizations have dignity as a key concept of the organization.

e. Outline the similarities in approach and method between solidarity and the WYA. *
The similarity in approach and method is that of using culture to transform society. Cultural transformation is one of the basis points by which the WYA attempts to change society. One such example would be restoring dignity to a proper place within society and culture through witness and testimony. Working together and working through the power of truth to confront what is wrong in society is also a common factor. The leaders of both organizations are committed to sharing, trusting and hoping in order to help to maintain the path of both organizations and keep their vision clear.

f. What did Communism and the manner in which it collapsed teach us about the
dignity of the person. *
The collapse of communism told us that if the dignity of the human person is discarded then inevitably society will struggle to maintain itself in its current status quo. (IN MY OPINION) It told us that revolutions do not necessarily have to be violent and that political collapse can happen very quickly across many countries. It told us that without human dignity the structure of a healthy society can be twisted and distorted and that in affirming the full truth of the human person that society can fully respect all its members.

g. What other elements of the fight against communism are relevant to the work of the
WYA. *
(IN MY OPINION) One aspect is the vulnerability of a political system such as communism despite its appearance of strength. Despite having an enormous army and millions of alleged enthusiasts, communism was overturned by peaceful demonstrations. It shows that the bravery of resistance against ideas, ideologies can have success and that a witness that is authentic can tackle the essence of an organization and its flawed philosophical basis. The vision is also extremely important in influencing culture and politics because it provides inspiration to those participating and it maintains a focus from which the movement cannot be distracted.

h. List the similar experiences that other countries had (to Solidarity) in the fight against
communism.

In 1968 in Czechoslovakia, the velvet revolution was attempted by ‘insurgents.’ However, this was a failure and Soviet troops and tanks were sent to crush the demonstrators, partly orchestrated by students. In Tiananmen Square in 1989 a peaceful revolution was crushed by Chinese authorities and a statue of Mao stands in the square to this day.

3. Insight Magazine article
a. What approach did this journalist take towards Anna and the Alliance?
The journalist took a very open approach with friendly questions in this interview. The questions were asked mostly in a positive way highlighting the success of the WYA and the potential in the future for the organization. There were questions on all aspects facing the WYA from funding, religious affiliation, membership numbers, the internet and the perception of youth today. It is a very wide ranging interview.

b. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this approach?
The disadvantages of having an interview on a whole range of issues are that you do not get to the heart of any issue and you do not do anything but glance over the surface of any one issue. The disadvantage of having an open interview with Anna given a free lance role in developing direct questions into open questions is that she can control the questions and mould the interview into the way she thinks would be best (this could also be an advantage). The advantages are that the journalist is less likely to find something extraordinary in this approach, and the covering of all topics is a great overview of the organization as a whole and helps to make people interested.

c. Have your own interview questions ready – what was your last book read, movie
seen, most influential person and experience in your life that you would give in an
interview that would shape the way readers see you and the WYA. *
How do you see bioethical issues developing at the European Union?

How can the WYA grow as an organization and how is it attracting and inspiring young people?

How can WYA influence culture and how does the organization help to influence international policy (with what results)?

What are the universal principles of the WYA and why do many people from many different countries, cultures, religions and backgrounds interested in the work?

d. Express how you would answer the direct question: what is the WYA position on
abortion? *

The WYA is committed to building a culture of life through educating young people about the value of human dignity and the importance of human life at every stage of life, including the time from conception through to birth. This is in concordance with the 3^rd article of the UNDR 1948 that recognizes that everybody has a right to life. Therefore WYA is committed to helping create a culture in which all life is recognized, cherished and valued.

e. Follow up with this question: “So the WYA is against abortion and contraception,
even for third world countries which need them.” *

The WYA appeals to the universality, inviolability and integrity of its ethical principles. To suggest that some countries may need medical assistance which is against the dignity of the human person would be to suggest that these principles were redundant in the first place. Many countries in the third world do not request such assistance and are far more concerned about authentic human development with tangible results such as trade agreements. To suggest that third world countries need such treatment can in some cases have racist implications and is in some sense derogatory towards those countries themselves. Uganda has shown what a tremendous success can be had with combating aids using neither of the suggested techniques.

4. Ubuchindami book list
Write a statement for a speech that in one paragraph outlines why the books on the list
were chosen and the key point from each book that the WYA is interested in. *

(Correction needed to Training manual – p27 of 127 (p26 on page) says at very bottom that Chesterton wrote Tipping point- need to cross out- It says “Tipping point is his only published book to date”).

The Ubuchindami book list was chosen to help members of the WYA have a greater and wider understanding of important issues that are part of the organization. The diversity of the different topics of the books reflects that human dignity can be seen in art, history, philosophy, humour and psychology. The book list serves as an excellent introduction to understanding the twentieth century and the important influence that human dignity can play towards the promotion of a peaceful society. “Man’s search for meaning” helped to show how when man is reduced to the essence of his being (eg in a concentration camp) there is something deeply importance to all of us (human dignity) and if man loses hope or loses sight of his dignity then his will to live can disappear. “The tipping point” showed how culture can be affected to just obscure and irrelevant changes which can suddenly reverse everything – the most notable example of this was the transition of NYC from a dangerous to a safe city in the 1990s. “Lost in Cosmos” is a humorous book that asks provocative questions about the meaning of human existence. Many WYA themes are evident in the book, and the satirical style of questions (with multiple potential answers) suggests that there is no meaning to existence and there is extreme importance to life’s ultimate meaning. Joseph Pieper shows how the beauty of man can be realized through art. Chesterton writes in Brave New Family about the importance of family life and the enemies of the families. The family is extremely important to the work of the World Youth Alliance. Centismus Annus is a philosophical, historical and ethical work analyzing and celebrating Catholic social teaching. This is relevant because it talks of the dignity of man, of work and the failure of social philosophy contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Person and Art
5. Forward
a. What is Faulkner saying in his speech about the person and beauty?
Faulkner is saying that the person has a certain capacity and ability to go beyond mere actions and processes and that it is not just an impersonal and automated process to make art. He alludes to the potential greatness of humanity to inspire the heart, not just to write for selfish instincts but to “engender excitement” and influence the world by this message.

b. How does this relate to articulating the WYA message? *
This can relate to the WYA message by understanding that written documents and articles are not just for personal satisfaction or indulgence, but can have a greater meaning beyond them. It shows that inspiration can come from writing and other arts and that one’s intentions are important.

c. Identify one example of beauty and the dignity of the human person from your own
experience.
One example would be the contrast in the way girls dress in the Western world (eg Britain) as compared with some countries in South America (eg Bolivia). There are beautiful girls in both countries, however the dress code in Britain has become over-sexualised and increasingly provocative over the years- this has meant that the dignity of women has given into sexual prowess and suggestion. However in Bolivia, the dress code still allows the beauty to be shown and admired, but in a far more subtle way with dignity intact.

6. Beauty, the New Story of Science
a. Outline the relationship to beauty and science that the authors are discussing.
The authors claim that beauty and science are intrinsically linked. The source of this beauty is nature. The simplicity, harmony and brilliance demonstrated in science show how beautiful it is (this could be shown through mathematics). Beauty is so obvious that it takes precedent within experiments because it is so clear in nature and the objects of science. In other words beauty makes science colourful.

b. Identify the relationship in this area for the WYA. *
The importance of this area for the WYA could be the inherent beauty of the human person and the realization that values and ethics that demonstrate the dignity of man enhance the human person. It shows how man is beautiful the way he was designed. It can also show that humanity does not need tampering with (e.g. human cloning because it is beautiful enough all ready) and the procreation of humanity happens in a natural and beautiful way without any scientific damage (e.g. sterilization, IVF, abortion) to human life in the process.

c. Create a statement using the importance of beauty in determining truth in objective
science and relating that concept to the need to understand beauty in knowing the
truth about the human person by a public policy example in the world today (primarily
in development). *
Beauty is so obvious in nature that it is undeniable that it takes great precedent within the realms of natural science. Beauty can help to show the simplicity of science and nature, whilst it can also help explain the harmony of the world’s ecosystem and flora and fauna. Beauty can help shed light on authentic science that helps the development of mankind in a way which man does not lose sight of his place within the world. When science is used to oppose the authentic development of man, it can bring horrific results- war, destruction and terror. This is never a display of human beauty. When science is used to help improve disease and illness (in a morally acceptable way) then beauty can be shown and the dignity of the human person respected.

7. Barragán’s Acceptance speech
a. Identify the fundamental values that he speaks of in his art as related to understanding and respecting the human person.
Barragan speaks of a host of characteristics in art which can help to understand and respect humanity. The desire for God is a motive for beautiful art and he states many world famous landmarks to describe this. He speaks of silence, serenity and solitude in trying to get people to find themselves and to have a sense of spirituality. Joy is described as potential perfection in art – especially with silence and serenity. Nature is also talked about as being important, and especially its proper treatment. These aspects talk of an understanding of the human person as growing when accepting values and being inspired by art.

b. How does Barragan’s vision of the person impact the way he speaks of art?
Barragan’s vision of the person is that he accepts the need for humanity to be spiritually nourished. He talks of the need for silence and serenity in one’s life, as well as joy, peace and beauty. He speaks of art as being able to inspire the human person and to guide him. He also talks of the implicit religious element in art.

c. Discuss, based on Barragan’s ideas, how architecture conveys a position of the
artists view of who the human person is.
Architecture according to Barraghan is partly autobiographical. He has been inspired by houses that he remembered from when he was younger. He also states that simplicity can be extremely beautiful and can enrich one’s sense of beauty. The author then finally states that some monasteries that he has visited, by the sense of peace, a solitary sense and wellbeing in cloisters have been conveyed in the architecture. Therefore he certainly believes that one can inspire particular characteristics to others through the use of architecture.

d. Use the above information and examples to create a statement on architecture and
the dignity of the person by the WYA. *
Architecture has the ability to inspire and bring about creativity for human beings. Architecture can create great serenity to inspire those in working environments, create wonderful homes and bring peace to the world. Architects can influence every step that we take inside buildings by careful planning and therefore they can change the future. Architects can inspire skylines, rejuvenate cities and inspire hope through beauty, simplicity and design. This can affect the dignity of humanity by improving the conditions in which he finds himself, inspiring his work and home environments and making his life more serene.

e. How does our vision of the person manifest itself in architecture? Write out a list of 10
things that a building designed by the WYA should embrace in its architecture and
that it should avoid (10 for each category).*
EMBRACE
1/ large rooms
2/ simplicity in floor space of rooms maximizing available space
3/ location of building (centrality and access)
4/ historical links/modernity or originality of building structure
5/ beauty of building inside and out
6/ quality of building materials ensuring that they last
7/ entrance to building to add impression and effect
8/ good number of windows in suitable places
9/ good ventilation and insulation
10/ level floors division between work and rest in rooms.

AVOID
1/ proximity to noise
2/ poor materials/things that might break or need repairing
3/ excessive decoration
4/ musty rooms/dust and materials that get dirty quickly
5/ bad transport links
6/ a lack of ambience/friendliness to rooms
7/ dull colours for rooms
8/ a lack of storage space
9/ low ceilings
10/ rooms that are incoherently designed.

8. Pope John Paul II’s Letter to Artists
a. What is the seminal point about the work and goal of artists that the Pope makes?
The main point that the Pope makes is that artists have the ability to bring great beauty into the world through their work that can hint at the ineffable and divine. The beauty that they can offer, which can be original in its ideas, is a hint of the act of creation of the world. The work of artists can inspire, enliven culture through beauty and lead the human mind to the contemplation of higher things.

b. Wagner has been banned in Germany and Israel since the end of WWII because of
his anti-Semitic positions. What is the relation of a composer’s political views and
their output as understood by the Pope?
The pope does not appear to directly answer this question. However, he does address the question of the ability of artists to stir people with wonder and awe. I would assume that the Pope viewed the question of the composer’s political views as irrelevant and the work of art as the only piece of importance. It is the beauty and meaning of the work of art that is needed to inspire society and especially the Church according to John Paul II.

c. What is the role of beauty that the artist conveys to the world? What importance does
the Pope ascribe to this?

The role of beauty is of serious importance. The fathers of the Second Vatican Council said that the world needs beauty for it not to fall into despair. The artistic vocation is in the service of beauty. This is because it is in the form of the good. Beauty is a call to mystery and transcendence. It is an invitation to savour life and aspire to the future. It can also create nostalgia for God. It can bring people into Joy, wonder, awe and inspiration. According to Dostoevsky, beauty will save the world.

d. Write a statement on beauty, artists and their role in the development of culture. Use
the ideas in the letter from the Pope but also include references or ideas from the
articles of Johnson, Havel, Barragan and Faulkner. Finally, include an example from
your own life that sparks the point you are trying to make. The statement must use
the language of the WYA. *

Not only is it in the eye of the beholder, beauty is manifest in our universe in such diverse ways. Beauty helps to change the world by encouraging inspiration, wonder and joy into individual’s realm. Beauty helps to prompt love by subtle advances and it helps to point people towards the good. Yet beauty can fade without maintenance and therefore it can also help people to keep the status quo of physical appearance.

Artists must engage people with their works of art- and get them to contemplate ideas and meanings associated with their subject. They have the ability to point towards ideas and themes that are behind and beyond the original picture. Beauty can help to bring their message across and inspire others. Yet beauty does not necessarily have a moral function, and does not always have to point towards the common good. Culture is the landscape, language and expression with which we live our lives. Beauty helps to sustain this backdrop of society and can lead us to higher thinks, to contemplate the divine, to consider faith, hope and joy.

Beauty can help to develop culture and make it more alive and inspirational. Culture by its very nature develops- this can be prompted by art that has the originality of mastery and the carvings of a genius. A stagnant culture represents a stagnant people- beauty can help to keep the wheels of culture rolling for new images, ideas and language in order to keep the freshness of society running and to awake the spark within humanity that darkens with a lack of revelation.

Barragan states in his acceptance speech that beauty and art can help and lead to many other things that are beautiful about the human person and this is shown in solitude, joy, spirituality and peace. Havel understood that culture and art can ultimately change society and the work of artists can implicitly change people in society, and it is unnecessary to use the principal components of power in society (eg politics) to change the world. Pope John Paul II alludes greatly for the need of artists to sustain society and inspire it through the use of beauty to hint towards the divine. Religious art is therefore of great importance.

My country home has always been in an extremely beautiful part of the British countryside: the Cotswolds. This beauty from nature demonstrates the love of the creator towards the world and helps one appreciate existence and the most important things in life: love, happiness and joy.

9. The Rule and Ravages of Ideological Art
a. Does art have a purpose; if yes, what is it?
Art can have a purpose to inspire and enliven society. Avoiding the drab question of what art is, not all art has to have a purpose. A random drawing on a piece of paper does not have to have a purpose. Yet the majority of artists are either in the business of making money, creating public work projects and necessary buildings or most importantly, creating outstanding works to brighten the days for the rest of us.

b. Why would political ideologies take an interest in the creation of art? What can be the
effects of this relationship on art? What effect does this relationship have on man?
Political ideologies can take an interest in art because it can to some extent convey the political message that is trying to be brought across. In the context of 20^th century totalitarianism, efficiency, productivity and speed were definitely concepts evident in architecture proposed by Germany and Italy prior to the war. Art is a manifestation of the culture that says a lot about the thought and politics of the day. Major buildings in cities (such as Palais du Justice in Brussels) say a lot about the mentality of ruling classes and the ideas central to their leadership. The effect of political persuasion on art is that it can change it for better or worse. With some of the fascist ideologies of the twentieth century, a lot of religious art was destroyed especially in Russia. A lot of history can be forgotten about and change can restrict the beauty that can be showed in art. The effect that this can have on man is that it can change his perceptions. Boring working environments through tasteless architecture hardly helps a creative working mentality and when man’s environment changes, so does his thoughts and ideas.

c. Can one objectively determine the universal value (beauty) of a given piece or
tradition of art?
It is impossible to determine the beauty of a given piece of art because beauty does not have a universal scoring system. Different opinions place different emphasis on certain characteristics and have different tastes and therefore beauty cannot be quantified well. The difficulty in marking an art exam is an example that the scoring is virtually impossible. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as the saying goes and a personal opinion of beauty is the mark of how beautiful something is for that particular person.

d. Is the author's position clear on the ability of an ideology to influence the creation of
art? (Hint: consider Johnson's analysis of art in Mussolini's Italy, Hitler's Germany,
and Soviet Russia.)
Johnson is clear that ideology can overwhelm influence the creation of art. He describes in detail how Mussolini, Soviet Russia and Germany adapted architectural projects in order to promote futurism and modernism in this sphere. The role of Albert Speer clearly shows the close relationship between an ideological government contracting an artist to create art. The construction of modern flats in Valladolid under Franco also shows how ideology can help to influence the creation of art. He suggests that ideology is not always the enemy of art but history has shown that it is very likely to be so.

Philosophy
10. The Problem of the Separation of Experience from the Act in Ethics
a. What is the ethical experience (act)?
The ethical act is the actualization of the will according to Aquinas and Aristotle. This is connected with reason and emotional factors and the potential of the act is divided from the realization of the act in reality. Ethical experience is the science of human actions from the point of view of their moral actions. It involves a particular lived action. In essence it is literally the moral life in action.

b. How does the action of the person relate to the moral norm of the action?
The actions of a person bring a responsibility to that person and have ethical attachments. The person experiences the moral good or evil of his own person.

c. What is the place of experience in the identification of moral norms?
Experience

d. Relate the act of the person to the experience of truth.

e. How does the explanation of act and ethical norm relate to the concept of the dignity
of the person?*
The explanation of act and ethical norm relates to human dignity because it creates a clear understanding of where the difference between right and wrong is and how respect for others comes about in philosophy and principle. They are important because they represent the starting norm for different positions from where ethical positions begin and therefore it complicates ethical positions from the very beginning. The discussion of whether the act takes part in the will or due to objective facts has relevance to the nature of morality.

The explanation of act and ethical norm relate to dignity of the person because one’s actions are related to dignity. How I act towards others determines what status I give them and how much value I recognise their presence to be. If one has a clear understanding of the ethics and the close relationship between the potential and the realisation of the act then it is likely that one will also have a good understanding of the dignity of the person.

f. Identify the problem of the separation of experience from the act in ethics. Describe
this in 1-2 paragraphs and make a clear presentation that would be understandable
in a New York Times article. This explanation should be related to the articulation of
“what is the dignity of the person based upon?”*

The problem of the separation of experience from the act in ethics is that there are immediate repercussions for the empirical act. The ethical act takes place in the will. Kant tried to associate free will with law; however in reality law is based on reason. Kant transferred the realm of personal experience and transferred it to the noumenal, trans-empirical sphere and made the personal subject a psychological element and just the feeling of respect for the law. In this way he made ethics just duty and this made large assumptions. This had implications for the dignity of the person. If ethics are purely based on the law rather than objective truths then we should only respect people because the law tells us to rather than the person being the basis for his innate completeness and source of dignity. The problem with Kant’s phenomenology was that there was a division of the two facts of ethical life. Rational judgement is divided against feeling of respect for the law. The ethical life cannot be reduced to logic and psychology because ethical experience is a full whole which cannot be reduced to parts and split up. Ethics is based on distinctive method because it is based on distinctive experience.

However Max Scheler was a proponent of a philosophy called phenonmenalism, which places the essence of experience back into ethics. It was an intuitive system that supported the intentional act as very important. It rejected duty in ethics entirely as saw material values play an important part of ethical experience. Will was not the ethical backbone to ethical experience, rather there was an objective basis for acting.

g. Outline the history of the development of the phenomenological approach with
particular reference to what phenomenology gives to the articulation and
understanding – knowability – of who the human person is. Pay close attention to the
concept of reality and presence in this discussion, as well as to the importance of
emotional knowledge and experience.*

Phenomenology is a philosophy or method of inquiry based on the premise that reality consists of objects and events as they are perceived or understood in human consciousness and not of anything independent of human consciousness. This means that events are how they are and reality does exist in front of us. This gives us the knowledge that the human person is there, and that one’s feelings are real and present.

h. Identify the relationship between the experience of the emotions and the will in
constructing a clear vision of the dignity and understanding of the human person.
You can feel free to provide a critique or short summary of philosophical thoughts
which deal with one or the other, in order to build up to your point on the validity or
not of the approach which combines the two. (emotion and will). *

The emotions are natural responses to phenomena we perceive through our senses and intuitions. Emotions are used to express ourselves and to act out our thoughts. The will however is linked to the desires of the heart and it comes from much deeper inside us. The will can be changed by practice and habit. Emotions are different to the will because emotions usually are engaged with reactions to situations whereas the will is the desire within us to act upon something.

The will orders one’s actions and the ordering of the will in alliance with good means that one can be allied with the common good. The person is ordered through the will and correct understandings of ones desires and motivations help to make one aware of ones own dignity.

i. From your statement in question (h) construct a paragraph which popularizes those
ideas and includes an illustration that would be clear and understandable for both a
WYA training and an article on the ideas of the WYA.*
The experience of the emotions and the will are two distinct parts of morality. The will can help us determine whether an act is moral or not but it does not have ethical value according to Scheler, but it does according to Kant. It emerges only on the occasion and it is not the basis for determining whether something is moral or not (in my opinion). However, the emotions are also not the basis of morality also because they are volatile and cannot form a basis of ethics because they are subject to human opinions which can change from day to day.

11. Two Ideas of Freedom

a. Outline and discuss the idea of “freedom for” and “freedom from”. Refer to the
sources of the development of this thought as outlined in the article.
‘Freedom from’ is freedom from interference in personal affairs, for example the state being excessively nosy in one’s individual rights. “Freedom For (or to)” to is to realize the greater good that is obvious in society and the freedom to act, speak and express oneself. The source was the thoughts of Isaiah Berlin’s talk: two concepts of liberty in 1958 at Oxford. Liberal political communities according to the article are supposed to give people the freedom to go about their daily business provided they do not impinge the freedom of others. Many states nowadays have restrictions on religious conscience, and many rights that have been recognized by international documents and agreements. States that compromise many freedoms end up restricting their inhabitants and suffocating intellectual development and the expanse of ideas.

b. Outline the differences in the understanding of freedom as articulated by Thomas
Aquinas and William of Ockham.

Aquinas believed in “Freedom for excellence,” that is freedom for happiness and the fulfilment of life. Freedom is the friend of wisdom and the development of humanity. It is a great organizing principle of moral life, and it unifies us towards God and the greater good.
William of Ockham believed that freedom was what has been called “The freedom of indifference.” This is more about choice and self assertion than reality and the will is put in a position of supreme importance. Ockham believed in a radically autonomous view in philosophy called Nominalism. This view helped him to see that freedom has no religious nature and is purely wilfulness. In other words freedom has nothing to do with goodness or morality.

c. Relate the vision of freedom which is authentic and worthy of man as Weigel outlines
in the article as it relates to the WYA understanding of the dignity of the person. *

Freedom according to Wiegel is to help the deepest yearnings of the human heart to be free. He believes in the principle of self control and the idea that freedom can help society be ordered towards the good. Freedom helps to order society toward

Successful Networking

noreply@blogspirit.com (Mr) — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 19:10:15 +0200

Principles:
●The majority of jobs are appointed to people who know other people. Blind applications rarely work and therefore the more people you know the greater chance of employment.
●Even loose association can be legitimate in terms of ‘knowing’ somebody because it can only be about a friend of a friend and a loose connection. These are a key connection on the spider web
●Socialites exist who know everybody and anybody. These people are the heart and soul of parties and the firm fabric of the social network. If anyone knows who people are they do and therefore they are the ones to ask about suitable people or recommendations.
●The personal touch always is key to friendship or acquaintance: remembering someone’s Birthday, remembering special facts about them or their family, learning about their interests and the key issues in their life is key to stop you being just another person.
●A professional net worker is able to do deals or moves on up to four side moves on the social chain (a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend). One persons might know 80 people, but those 80 people know 6400 people if they know 80 people each. Those 6400 people if they knew 80 new people would know 512,000 who in turn if they knew 80 new people would know 40.96 million people. In other words in 4 lateral moves you can know nearly the population of the UK, on the assumption that every person knows 80 new people that nobody on the list knew previously. Obviously this is not accurate as clearly they do and also some people do not socialise and know hardly anyone, and social classes do not mix.
●However, you can never categorise somebody. People are far more complicated that to be just labelled ‘lawyer’ or ‘mother’ and there are many distincts facts about the beauty of the human person. Likewise it is wrong to use people or to continually ask about what people can do for you, rather than what you can do for others. In fact in helping others you will find yourself more likeable and popular.
●Key characteristics of a popular personality are those that are unconcerned with self, give their undivided attention to others and have very good manners. Warm personalities are far more approachable and attractive. Through loving oneself (not first and foremost though) we are able to love others equally.
●Fundamental to all networking is that treating people with respect, seeing their fundamental dignity as people rather than as objects or tools for personal profit or success. To treat people in the manner that they are expected to be treated, we can follow Jesus’ words to love your neighbour as yourself.

Perspectives on life from accepting the Gospel written in the language of UN documents:

noreply@blogspirit.com (Mr) — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 00:13:10 +0100

Given that the universal destination of material goods means that we cannot attach ourselves too closely to worldly materials,

Given that we are not knowledgeable about our origin and our destiny, and therefore are either created or exist by chance,

Understanding that man searches for meaning from the depth of his own heart looking for meaning and purpose in his life,

Acknowledging that Man yearns for life beyond this life and in the quest for existence further than the temporal, glimpses to the eternal,

Following this, man can only posit theological questions of a supernatural kind in order to approach these questions coherently and must therefore talk about God to determine all of the above. In answering questions of meaning of existence (who, why, what, where) one must have a chat to God, in prayer.

Therefore, for any of the above questions to have a positive answer, God must exist otherwise man is a casual and meaningless product of evolution, destined for future non existence.

2. Given that love is the most powerful and liberating force known to humanity, surpassing all barriers of race, nation or time, A religion that embraces a God that is love is likely to be closer to God and to an understanding of God,

Given that the Church pays high regard to humanity, championing the poor, visiting the sick, loving neighbour and standing up for man’s fundamental human rights of dignity and inviolability on earth, we must understand that the Church is an expert in humanity.

Understanding that the Christian God embraced our suffering, gave his life as a ransom for many, dwelled in humanity that we might embrace divinity and was made man and dwelt among us, this God must be considered the one true God,

Believing that this God, made manifest in Jesus Christ, founded the Church, appointed apostles and successors and gave mankind the Holy Spirit which countless Saints have received holiness from,

Only one conclusion can be reached, which is the Church is alive, its beliefs are true and the Gospel is to be accepted to love and serve Jesus as he loved and served us. Yet due to the foolishness of humanity few will accept this at heart and only those that love him will keep his commandments. Therefore this resolution can not be approved by the assembly, as the EU minister is going on about something on reproductive rights.

Human Cloning Issues

noreply@blogspirit.com (Mr) — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 16:17:58 +0200

Talk on Human Cloning

General Introduction to Human Cloning…

Aldous Huxley’s outstanding novel of 1931, “Brave new world” was among the most shocking literary events of the twentieth century. Huxley's vision of an oppressive culture of total authoritarian control and social engineering was a satire based on the corruptible nature of mankind. In Aldous Huxley's Brave New World there were various castes of clones, with the Alphas at the top and the Epsilons, the slave labourers, at the bottom. There has recently been a worrying compatibility between the vision of human cloning that faces humanity and Huxley’s vision of society where genetical manipulation had created so many identical humans. Many commentators recently have mentioned, Huxley’s vision has BEGUN to be transformed into a prophecy where eugenics have become acceptable in society, although there is a long way to go before society is more similar to Huxley’s grotesque vision. A society that embraces human cloning will be become precisely like the moral world which Huxley described. Should social and genetical engineering become acceptable in society there are profound implications to take into account for humanity.

Therapeutic cloning is a technique that would be used to produce cloned embryos, but only to create stem cells that can in turn be used to repair damaged or defective tissue in the parent of the cloned cells. It currently involves the destruction of the embryo.

Reproductive cloning is a technique that is regarded as almost universally immoral by all. It involves incredible risks for the child and no nation would regard this type of cloning as moral.

Current Political Developments with regard to cloning…..

The government of Costa Rica has initiated debate at the General assembly for the necogiations to ban human cloning in all its forms worldwide. Currently 67 Nations have joined Costa Rice in calling for a worldwide ban. However, the government of Belgium has proposed a situation where reproductive cloning and allowing cloning for research purposes to carry on nevertheless (ie therapeutic cloning). This proposal has the support of 23 nations. Italy has also submitted its proposal to the situation, but with ambiguous terminology it is not entirely clear whether the Italians are calling for an entire ban or whether certain forms of research may be conducted under the Italian proposal. At present a 2 year deferral for an international convention on human cloning was voted on and was passed at the United Nations.

Costa Rica has shown that all experiments done on animals in this area to this point have shown that the technique has insurmountable obstacles that would prevent its use on human beings. They have emphasized following Kantian ethics that human beings must not used as a means but should be always be considered as an end in itelf. Thus, the creation of human embryos for experimental purposes breaches the basic norm of human behaviour. Costa Rica has also emphasized concern in its submission of the dangers of a medical physical and pshycological nature that cloning may apply for the individuals involved.

The EU passed a directive on human tissue that has come into force in Europe.

In the future, given the knowledge that human reproductive cloning is possible, it is highly likely that many legal or illegal experiments will take place. It is highly likely that many rogue scientists in the world at the moment attempting reproductive cloning. The Raelian cult has already stated that it has already implanted many clones but is unable to back this claim up with any verifiable evidence. Many feel oppressed by the sense that there is nothing we can do to prevent cloning from happening. This makes the prospect all the more revolting.

Ethical considerations involved in cloning ……..
1/ the inviolable dignity of the human person
2/when does life begin
3/instrumentalization of human life, utilitarianism in practice by creating life in order to destroy it.
4/the sanctity of human life
5/scientific development and research taking into regard ethical considerations

1/ the inviolable dignity of the human person

The inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, as stated in the Universal declaration of human rights. Article 3 of the universal declaration of human rights in 1948 stated that everyone has the “right to life, liberty and security of person.” This fundamental human right risks being severely undermined even further than it is as present with human cloning. The tampering of human life in the practice of human cloning is diametrically opposed to the dignity of the human person. Human life should not be manufactured as man turns himself into a commodity to buy and sell. One must also not forget the unethical experimentation on the child to be, the enormous risks of bodily and developmental abnormalities that would be in opposition to dignity of the human person. Human cloning would involve the devaluation of life and disregard for human life and the transmission of human life.

2/ when does life begin

Fundamental to the ethical debate of human cloning, as with other pro life issues, is the concept of when life technically begins. For some scientists the absence of certainty in this issue is a licence for experimentation and research. They would argue that as one cannot be scientifically sure that life begins at conception or at a later date, it would be permissible to research on human embryos. However, even if an embryo was reduced to the status of a potential human being, one would have to give the human being special status. It is evident that countries that do not recognize the status of embryos or fetuses are more likely to have liberal views in their attitudes towards human cloning.

3/ instrumentalization of human life, utilitarianism in practice by creating life in order to destroy it.

The use of either therapeutic or reproductive cloning would involve the commodification of human life. Embryos could become commodities to buy and sell. The creation of embryos only for their destruction would have to by nature embrace a philosophy of ultiliarianism. This philosophy created by Jeremy Bentham in the nineteenth century states that the principle for the “Greatest good for the greatest number” should be observed. Under this argument the principle of destruction of human embryos can be justified as experimental cloning might yield to wonderful scientific discoveries, hence advancing the human race and leading to the betterment of mankind. At a first glance this wonderful idealistic philosophy may seem in societies’ best interest. However, in practice utilitarian practice would involve the creation of human life in order to destroy it and is morally reprehensible. Utilitarianism involves the justification of evil for the sake of the majority. It fails to take into account that good cannot be quantified and therefore the measurement of its own ideals is impossible. The problem of utilititarian principles is they can be undermined as they can justify inhumanity and the potential destruction of some of the human race.

4/the sanctity of human life
The introduction of both therapeutic and reproductive cloning involves a blatant disregard for the sanctity of human life. Human life as sacred and inviolable should not be played around with in experiments. The notion of the sanctity of human life states in the Judaeo-Christian tradition that life was created in the image of God and therefore life is sacred. In a situation of human cloning man’s individuality is compromised as genetic makeup is shared between two people.

In his unique and unrepeatable origin, the child must be respected and recognised as equal in personal dignity to those who give him life. This is not accounted for in the ethics of cloning. Cloning is contrary to nature and the natural transmission of life by the way of the family. Within human cloning we see a Frankensteinian hubris to create human life and increasingly to control its destiny. In other words we see man playing at being God. Without getting into a theological debate, many scientists have expressed concern of scientist taking such a role and even Dolly the sheep's creator, Dr. Wilmot, has said he "would find it offensive" to clone a human being.

5/ scientific development and research taking into regard ethical considerations

Those that are seeking a ban on therapeutic and reproductive cloning do not plan to hinder scientific or biotechnological progress. It is simply desired that seeking to promote scientific and technical progress in the fields of biology and genetics in a manner that is respectful of human rights and for the benefit of all.

The World Youth Alliance suggests that states and other entities to direct funds that might have been used for human cloning technologies to more pressing global issues in developing countries such as famine, desertification, infant mortality and diseases, including the human HIV/AIDS.

Several recent developments in biotechnology, including adult stem cell technologies, have seen successful treatment of nerve and spinal cord damage, retinal damage, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, muscular dystrophy, diabetes, stroke and liver disease, among others. As expressed in recent days, many nations are troubled by research cloning because it requires the destruction of embryos. Therefore, other methods of biotechnology that do not abridge human dignity should be pursued in preference to research cloning. The fact remains that even if an embryo was a potential human being, it would still deserve special treatment. Stem cell research has helped in similar research areas.

Implications of human cloning for women……               EXPLOITATION
                                                                                  HEALTH RISKS
                                                                                    NEWS, THE FUTURE

Any human cloning process poses significant health risks to women. The US National Academy of Sciences stated in 2001: “Because many eggs are needed for human reproductive cloning attempts, human experimentation could subject women to adverse health effects – either from high levels of hormones used to stimulate egg production or because more women overall would be sought to donate eggs, which involves surgery with its own inherent risks.” Women’s dignity would be violated by reducing them to egg donors (or to a status like battery chickens producing eggs). Attitudes to women would be compromised as a result. The scandal of payment (which the HFEA likes to disguise in words like compensation) has an incredible potential to exploit women who donate eggs. A recent BBC news report (23/12/2004), a health correspondent in Romania described how women where increasingly deciding to donate eggs for a financial incentive of £150. Due to the shortage of eggs for treatments such as IVF in Britain, many clinics have been looking abroad for potential egg donors. The HFEA (human fertilisation and embroyology authority in the UK) has recently considered introducing a payment of £1,000 for women who donate eggs, due to the fact that 90% of clinics in the UK cannot meet demand at present. Currently the HFEA has a consultation paper out on the regulation of donor assisted conception. This paper contemplates issues such as the number of children per donor in donor assisted conception, the compensation for the inconvenience and how one should go about obtaining gametes from abroad.

One can only imagine the potential for exploitation that this would have in the future should such large scale payments occur. Should human cloning seen as acceptable and become status quo activity, human eggs would become a commodity, with the exploitation of disadvantage of disadvantaged women throughout the globe.
An enormous amount of eggs would be needed for the process that would lead to the exploitation of women. The eggs needed for human reproductive cloning would subject women to adverse health effects as high levels of hormones.

In conclusion, the only way to uphold the dignity of humanity, the sanctity of human life and the respect for the human person is by a worldwide ban on all forms of human cloning. At present it is likely that this will not take place in the next few years and with countries such as the United Kingdom using therapeutic cloning to an increasing extent, one can only hope that Western civilization does not fully embrace human cloning in the future.

FURTHER QUOTES:

Dr. Frankenstein (Mary Shelley) “One man’s life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of the knowledge which I sought, for the dominion I should acquire and transmit over the elemental foes of our race.”

Mark Twain, “There is something fascinating about science. One gets such a wholsale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact.”

February 21^st, 2005

World Youth Alliance applauds UN declaration on cloning

The UN last week adopted a resolution that encouraged member states to adopt urgent legislation to outlaw all cloning practices. The UN, after 3 years of negotiations on cloning has finally and firmly come to a conclusion that cloning practices are “incompatible with human dignity and the protection of human life.”

Instrumental in the adoption of the resolution were serious concerns that cloning procedures would lead to the exploitation of women. The final declaration was produced by Honduras, after previous proposals from both Italy and Belgium were rejected. Many developing nations were afraid that women from poorer countries would be used in order to produce the enormous amounts of eggs needed for cloning. Cloning procedures involve dangerous procedures that need the harvesting of eggs from women.

“This is a clear demonstration that the international community is prepared to condemn scientific research that is both unethical and unnecessary,” said Emilia Klepacka, director of the World Youth Alliance for Europe. “The adoption of this resolution should encourage countries to have similar bans in national legislation.” This declaration has immediate effect and sets an international standard. It stands in stark contrast to some nations, such as the UK which recently granted another licence for Dr. Wilmut to conduct therapeutic cloning. Member states in the future are encouraged to fulfill their international obligations. In addition, the resolution called for wealthier nations to direct funds to more worthy projects such as preventable diseases and the prevention of poverty.

“Most significantly this victory represents a significant victory for women,” said Cambridge educated Emilia Klepacka. “It calls on countries to avoid the exploitation of women and ensures that women from poorer nations are not paid for the production of eggs.” In the United Kingdom, the HFEA (human fertilization and embryology authority) has been drawing up plans for the payment of women of up to £1,000 for eggs, due to chronic shortages. This declaration ensures that such immoral practices in the future will be discouraged and condemns the utilization of any genetic engineering plans which threaten human dignity.

For Immediate Release

Brussels: 4th February 2005

European Youth repulsed by British Reproductive Commerce

Brussels, 4th February 2005 : As the latest consultation process of the British Government’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority draws to a close today, concerns increase in Europe about the implication of the HFEA’s plans for Europe’s women.

The HFEA is considering a ‘payment’ of £1,000 to women who donate eggs in order to increase the supply of eggs in Britain.[1] ‘World Youth Alliance–Europe’, a Brussels based NGO representing around 800,000 young people in Europe alone, is today warning that this move would lead to the exploitation of European women by creating an overwhelming financial incentive to donate eggs. Members of the European Parliament who have been alerted to the proposals have pointed out that by setting the level of ‘compensation’ at £1,000, the HFEA would be circumventing the Human Tissues Directive and paving the way for a highly lucrative international trade of human tissues, which would be contrary to EU legislation.[2] Article 12 of the EU Tissues and Cells Directive on the principles governing tissue and cell donation, states that Member States should endeavour to ensure voluntary and unpaid donations of tissues and cells and that such a procurement is carried out on a non profit basis.

« Our members across Europe are shocked to hear that British investigations of Romanian clinics are already taking place. One clinic in Romania now has as many donors as all the fertility clinics in Britain put together.[3] The HFEA should not be considering actions that would directly lead to the instrumentalization of vulnerable women abroad. Offering payment equivalent to half a year’s salary represents a huge psychological and financial inducement to donate eggs and undergo the risks inherent in these procedures. » says Cambridge educated Emilia Klepacka, Director of the World Youth Alliance – Europe.

Women who donate eggs have to undergo hormone treatment and have their eggs surgically removed. The stimulation of ovaries to obtain women’s eggs can cause Ovarian Hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). This syndrome occurs in 2.4-5.5 % of women in clinical studies and was classified as severe in 1.4 % of cases, sometimes causing death in women.

« Introducing such payments will lead to the commodification of the human body: compensation should never be considered as an incentive to donate organs. It would contravene the principles of Council of Europe Recommendation 1611 (2003). We are convinced that poor and disadvantaged women will be targets for solicitation of large numbers of eggs - and it is unlikely that many of them would receive adequate care after their bodies have been ‘harvested’ for eggs. Youth from all over Europe are disgusted at such a potential exploitation of Europe’s most vulnerable women : we should never compromise human dignity and health in this way. »

The World Youth Alliance is concerned over the exploitation of women for their eggs and has frequently reminded governments that the instrumentaliation of women is a serious consequence of liberalising laws on therapeutic cloning. Therapeutic cloning requires the development of new embryonic stem cell lines. Wide recognition of the dependency of therapeutic cloning processes on a large supply of eggs has raised alarm at the impact of new reproductive technologies on the welfare of women.

ENDS

001-2868466-47

Brussels 3^rd Febuary-
Dear X,

      The World Youth Alliance is a youth organisation that currently represents 1,000,000 young persons in Europe.
      Currently we are concerned with the 7^th European research framework proposal programme may propose funding for embryonic stem cell research. Please ensure that human embryos are not created for experimentation or grown for body parts, and that human life is never bought and sold as a commodity. Scientific advances should always serve human dignity, not take advantage of some lives for the benefit of others.
      The European Union should not financially support such an ethically contentious issue that would threaten states apart and not bring them together. Member states who want to fund activities that are illegal in part of the European Unions member states should use their national budget and not ask suppport from the common budget. To provide financial support for such a divided ethical issue as embryonic stem cell research would do nothing but provide disharmony in Europe, and would be entirely against the integration of European interests. Many European states define the human embryo as a human being. The European states who do not produce supernumerary embryos should not be punished by those that do.
       The claims for embryonic stem cell research are totally unsubstantiated. Embryonic stem cell research has no current clinical treatments, has had few successes in animal models, is difficult to establish and maintain, is difficult to preserve a pure culture in the dish and has great logistical problems. Many embryonic stem cell experts now believe that therapeutic cloning is now unnecessary because other options such as adult stem cell research offer greater promise and options, and do not involve the ethical problem of the destruction of embryos. Adult stem cell research is the most promising source for treatments. It has proven to be a success for current clinical treatments and avoids ethical dilemmas.
      The fiscal support for embryonic stem cell research would be a full compromise on human dignity and human beings would be instrumentalized purely for the purposes of research. The provision of money for European research is limited. There are many excellent projects which cannot get funding and are not contraversial.
     Europe can still provide excellent medical research that is ambitious, aggressive, and always ethical through the utilisation of adult stem cells.

Yours faithfully,

Robert Colquhoun.

001-2868466-47

7nd February

Dear Friends,

Currently we are concerned with the 7^th European research framework proposal programme may propose funding for embryonic stem cell research. Currently the framework proposal is being sent to the European Commission for approval. Please write to your Commissioner (preferably in your own language) to urge them not to fund this research.

It might be useful to include some of the following arguments in your letter:

•Human embryos should not be created for experimentation or grown for body parts
•Human life should never be bought or sold as a commodity
•Science should serve human dignity, not take advantage of some lives for the benefit of others.
•The European Union should not support financially such an ethically contentious issue that would threaten states apart and not bring them together.
•Member states who want to fund activities that are illegal in other member states should use their national budget and not ask support from the common budget.
•Many European states define the human embryo legally as a human being.
•Many leading scientists now believe that adult stem cell research offers greater promise and options, and it has been extremely successful in current clinical treatments and avoids ethical dilemmas.
•The provision of money for European research is limited. There are many excellent projects that are not contraversial.
•Europe can provice excellent medical research that is ambitious, aggressive and always ethical through adult stem cell research.

001-2868466-47

[1] http://www.hfea.gov.uk/AboutHFEA/Consultations/SeedConsult.pdf.

[2] EC Directive 2004/23/EC European Parliament and Council 31/3/04, comes into force April 2006

[3] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4118625.s

UN Conference on Women February 2005

noreply@blogspirit.com (Mr) — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 16:07:58 +0200

Collection of Beijing +10 Documents From World Youth Alliance/Robert.

World Youth Alliance Statement on Woman

For circulation at the Review and Appraisal of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Outcome Document of the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly, February 28-March 11, 2005

Who is woman? Daughter, mother, wife, patriot, policy-maker, sister, thinker, worker? The challenge of this changing world asks this question and every woman is called upon to answer.

We young people of different nations, cultures, religions, ethnicities believe that every person is endowed with an intrinsic and inalienable dignity from conception throughout our natural lives. This dignity is inviolable and does not change regardless of the circumstances of one’s life. It is the basis for human rights.

We believe that the freedom of the human person is most fully and rightly lived in the gift of ourselves to others. In the act of self-gift, the human person answers the question, “Who am I?” through the experience of love.

Equal in dignity, and in a way that is complementary to man, woman is unique in her capacity for love and so can experience freedom in a radical way through her gift of self.

In motherhood, which is a continual invitation to self-gift, woman develops society through the transmission of life.

Woman recalls to humankind its humanity in a profound recognition of the dignity of each person. Woman is the architect of authentic peace from the most basic cell of society to the highest levels of policy and decision making, constructing conditions in which persons are given the chance to live in accordance with their dignity.

The talents of woman foster and preserve the beauty of each culture. When woman exercises a key role in building, designing and protecting societies, her participation enriches and sustains the culture for herself, her family and community and for all generations to follow.

Through her gift of self, every aspect of woman’s life is enriched and transformed and society in turn is transformed on every level.

Robert Colquhoun document 11/3/05

Over the last two weeks attending the UN Beijing +10 conference I have listened to a vast array of different speeches on topics relating to women. The Orwellian doublespeak and thoroughly ambiguous term “Gender equality” has been a theme of the conference in concordance with the reaffirmation of the Beijing declaration and platform for action. I believe that equality in human dignity is the foundation of equality. The difference between the sexes is recognized in the physical, psychological and ontological complementarity of the sexes. I believe that equality is based in personhood and that men and women are different, therefore women should not be treated as if they were men. We should speak about men and women in their cooperation and difference and not create an ideology based on an individualistic mentality of femininity. Women should not have to imitate men, because they are not men and fewer and fewer people understand why the sexes differ. I believe that 50/50 quotas are a narrow minded way to look at gender equality because it is a mechanism primarily based on reversed based discrimination under the assumption that power is domination. Such analysis of power assumptions is bound to go wrong because it is the wrong path to equality in society as service can be just as equal if not more effective than power. This notion that equality is based on equal treatment is false because its primary effect is to masculinize women and this is no way to affirm the true dignity and respect a woman deserves. Men and women are equal but different.

I believe that the family is the fundamental unit of society and consequently society and politics are therefore derivatives of the work done within the family. The family provides the continuum of life and a healthy family provides a healthy society. In the context of the family one can be loved unconditionally and it is where love is taught. Women are particularly privileged to have the gift of life and to care for the completely helpless child. Women have a tremendous ability to humanize the family and they also have the ability to make wonderful contributions in all areas of society. However, I am highly sceptical of a contemporary feminism that is at war with the family seeing it as an oppressive, bourgeois and patriarchal institution. Family is a notion that is disappearing more and more as a politically and legally relevant category and was barely talked about at this conference. If all ideas of family can be a family, then nothing is a family. Children have a right to have parents and a mother and father are not replaceable or interchangeable because they are complementary. The convention on the rights of the child states that children have the right to know and to be raised by their biological parents. Children are a liability for contemporary radical feminists because they are a denial of the egoism of their dogma.

I would also question whether equality is possible in societies where the instrumentalization of women occurs. In many modern societies, women are treated as objects through pornography and a media that has become increasingly sexually obsessed. This problem needs to be fully addressed because its results are tremendously corrosive to society.

Robert Colquhoun, aged 22, England, Colquhoun99@yahoo.co.uk

Article by Robert Colquhoun 7/11/05

The 49th session of the Commission of the status of women at the United Nations has specifically reviewed the famous Beijing declaration and platform for action that was declared 10 years ago. The themes of this review have been current challenges and forward looking strategies for the advancement and empowerment of women and girls, and a national analysis of the implementation of the Beijing platform for action.
The first week of this two week conference has largely been dominated by the fact that the US delegation has made it clearly known that it wanted an amendment to the review in order to ensure that the Platform for action did not include a universal right to abortion. This proposal was openly supported by the Holy See mission, however it came under intense pressure to be dropped not only from the European Union (under the presidency of Luxembourg) by many other nations and the gaggle of radical feminists attending the conference. Many people have interpreted the texts of Beijing as potentially including the right to abortion and therefore the Americans wanted to make this clarification. However their language that they tried to include was very strong and unlikely to gain consensus support. There were many encouraging interventions from countries such as Costa Rica, which has the right to life embedded in its constitution. The Americans were eventually persuaded to drop their amendment, but in many ways their point has been understood and their proposal amendment forced the pro death community at the conference on the defensive all week. Very few NGOs here have been pro life and this has been concerning given the exalted status that the UN seems to grant NGOs (as they have a consultative status).
The Bush administration has demonstrated that it will have a pro life stance on many issues. This has been encouraging given the international influence of the US and the level of power that the administration has in pioneering international policies. However, the US still has a long way to travel before it can claim to foster a culture of life. Given that the US is the largest provider of contraceptives in the world and that it still endorses the death penalty there are many amendments the US needs to make on national territory before it evangelizes to the rest of the world.
Many of the side events of the conference have been particularly narrow in scope, given that many NGOs here have a closed ideological agenda to follow. The vast majority of people have called for the themes of gender equality and empowerment to be followed without a full understanding of these terms. Many have tried to interpret equality as meaning gender parity in areas of employment, paternity rights and the literal equality between men and women. In reality this has only led to the masculinization of women and vice versa. Nevertheless, the World Youth Alliance, along with its journal Esperanza has been calling for the dignity of the human person. The World Youth Alliance has helped to emphasize the importance of motherhood, which is a continual invitation to self gift and the complementarity between men and women.

Pre Beijing letter to EU ambassadors in more pro life countries

Dear ,

The World Youth Alliance is a youth organisation that currently represents over a million young persons around the world.

Currently we are concerned that the preparations of the Beijing +10 conference scheduled for the 27th February to the 12th March have taken a new unprecedented role and we are writing to you to affirm many of our beliefs and actions. Please remember that the Beijing conference, the platform for action and the Cairo conference did not create any new international human rights, and the documents of these conferences specifically did not contain a right to abortion. Please note that the Beijing conference did not diminish the rights and duties of parents in regard to their children.

In view of the fact that some countries of the EU have a strong pro life position in domestic law restricting access to abortion we would ask you to disassociate yourself from the Ministerial Declaration of the Conference of Ministers of Gender Equality, Luxembourg, February 4, 2005[1] and the draft declaration for the 49th commission for the status for women presented to the UN yesterday. Both of these documents would have the effect of promoting access to abortion as a human right.

We are disturbed that the ministerial declaration of the conference of ministers of gender equality has attempted to create a consensus across Europe on certain principles such as expanding access to sexual and reproductive health information and health services. Please note, there is no consensus across Europe on this issue, particularly as many member states do not believe in this right. The need to fight HIV/AIDS worldwide has been used as a political pawn in order to fund and extend sexual and reproductive health information and alleged rights. In reality this is against the empirical evidence in fighting the disease from Africa, where in Uganda the ABC programme has demonstrated that a program of abstinence and faithfulness has had a huge success in combating AIDS. The conference of ministers of gender equality has also attempted to reinterpret the Beijing Platform for Action, the Cairo Programme of Action and the Millennium Development Goals. The Millennium development goals did not have specific reproductive goals. We, the World Youth Alliance urge you to not be part of a consensus that attempts to diminish the rights and duties of parents in regard to their children, that attempts to create new human rights are unfounded and we urge you not to collaborate in any consensus that attempts to promote abortion as an international human right.
The World Youth Alliance is firmly committed to supporting the unalienable dignity of the human person, the intrinsic right to life, the nurturing of the family and the fostering of a social climate favourable to integral development, solidarity and mutual respect. We firmly believe that in the family, men and women live in genuine freedom and solidarity, and where individuals are equipped to fulfill their social obligations. We also believe in active collaboration between men and women in the spirit of solidarity and appreciation.

For more information please contact Robert Colquhoun on 0032 2 7327605

[1] Ministerial Meeting Beijing + 10, 4th February, Luxembourg, <http://www.eu2005.lu/en/calendrier/2005/02/04pekin_min/index.html>

Human Cloning Report

noreply@blogspirit.com (Mr) — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 15:46:34 +0200

Statement on Human Cloning

The World Youth Alliance and its members continue to hold the position that any form of human cloning procedure intended for either reproductive or research (“therapeutic”) purposes poses a considerable threat to human dignity. The World Youth Alliance encourages all nations to be opposed to all forms of human cloning. We welcome the UN’s decision on cloning[1] and as representatives of youth from diverse cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds, and call upon all nations to support this UN declaration in their national legislation. We also support work towards a convention banning all forms of human cloning.
“Therapeutic” cloning, by definition, necessarily involves the destruction of a human life. As such, it represent a unique threat to human life and dignity, being the first time in history that human beings would be created solely for their destruction – their inherent value disregarded and their genetic material seized for utilitarian purposes. Creating human beings in order to destroy them would instrumentalize human life because it is an inconceivable paradox to sacrifice some lives in order to serve others.
Several recent developments in biotechnology, including adult stem cell technologies, have seen successful treatment of nerve and spinal cord damage, retinal damage, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, muscular dystrophy, diabetes, stroke and liver disease, among others. As expressed in recent days, many nations are troubled by research cloning because it requires the destruction of embryos. Therefore, other methods of biotechnology that do not abridge human dignity should be pursued in preference to research cloning.
The international community should place its financial support behind other biotechnologies that are consistent with respect for human dignity. The World Youth Alliance also encourages “States and other entities to direct funds that might have been used for human cloning technologies to pressing global issues in developing countries such as famine, desertification, infant mortality and diseases, including the human HIV/AIDS.”[2]

Human cloning poses a particular and potentially grave threat to the dignity of women. Women face being exploited because women’s bodies would be used as a market commodity. Legalization of human cloning would result in a high demand for human eggs and the potential exploitation of millions of women whose eggs would be harvested for purposes of research. We must further fear that in order to meet demand for eggs, women, particularly those in developing nations, may be subject to risky drug treatments and possibly even financial coercion or other forms of manipulation. Although this concern has been raised in recent discussions in the sixth committee at the United Nations we strongly encourage the international community not to underestimate the serious setback that human cloning poses to the dignity of women.

Only a complete ban can protect against reproductive cloning because once cloned human beings aaaare created for research, it would be virtually impossible to monitor whether cloned embryos are being implanted for reproductive purposes.

Over one million youth from all continents, who are members of the World Youth Alliance, believe that only a total, comprehensive ban on human cloning would protect and respect the dignity of all human persons. We respectfully ask you to support the UN declaration against cloning and encourage its implementation on the national level.

Developments at the United Nations on Human Cloning

Recently the United Nations adopted a political declaration on Cloning calling all countries to prohibit all forms of human cloning “inasmuch as they are incompatible with human dignity and the protection of human life.” It has taken many years of resolutions to finally adopt this position. Many countries are still calling for a convention to ban all forms of cloning. Reproductive cloning is universally acknowledged as unethical, but there is variance over the moral status of so called “therapeutic” cloning.

In December 2001, France and Germany proposed a resolution to the General assembly which opened the procedure to develop a treaty to ban reproductive cloning. In February 2002, a new subcommittee started this process, led by proposals. This process was stalled for a year because countries voted for a delay of one year. The Costa Rican delegation took up the initiative in 2003, proposing to have a Convention to ban all forms of human cloning (both therapeutic and reproductive). This proposal attempted to define cloning as a crime, establish a legal framework to punish cloning research and create international cooperation between authorities in preventing cloning. This proposal was supported by the US delegation and 60 other countries.

A proposal by Iran, on behalf of the 57 OIC states succeeded in deferring this treaty until 2005 was passed by 80 votes to 79, however this decision was reversed and the General Assembly decided to revisit the issue in 2004. A resolution was proposed by Costa Rica and 67 nations joined in calling for a worldwide ban. Costa Rica directly emphasized Kantian ethics that human beings must not used as a means but should be always be considered as an end in itelf. Costa Rica has also emphasized concern in its submission of the dangers of a medical, physical and pshycological nature that cloning may apply for the individuals involved. Belgium took over the initiative (from France and Germany) of proposing a partial ban on cloning which initially collected the support of 20 countries. Under the Belgian proposal, reproductive cloning would be banned but reproductive cloning would have been tolerated.

A different political declaration (with a non binding resolution) was drafted in 2004 by Italy, with some ambiguous language. This message would have had sent a strong message that the world community wants individual countries to pass legislation banning all forms of cloning. This was an easier process than drafting a convention. A convention are binding on the states that ratify them and can take years to negociate. This Italian resolution was the basis for the resolution passed by the General Assembly in March 2005. This resolution paid particular attention to avoiding the exploitation of women.

Developments at the European Union on Bioethical Issues

Enshrined in the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union is the right to the integrity of the person (article 3). This article specifically includes the prohibition of reproductive cloning of human beings, the prohibition of eugenic practices, and the prohibition of making the human body and its parts a source of financial gain. It also calls for the free and informed consent of the person concerned in fields of medicine and biology. In EU member states reproductive cloning therefore is prohibited (for human beings) and national legislative bodies are responsible for authorizing or prohibiting other forms of cloning (i.e. therapeutic cloning). The Council of Europe has written the Convention on human rights and biomedicine[3] (adopted 1997, in force 1999), but the only countries to ratify this document have been Portugal, Spain, Denmark and Greece (but it was signed by Finland, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Sweden). This document protects the interests and welfare of the human being over the sole interest of society of science, in the name of human dignity (Article 2). This convention also establishes the principle of free consent (art. 5), prohibits the production of human embryos in vitro for research (art. 18) and the use of the human body as such for financial gain (art. 21). An additional protocol[4] to this on the prohibition of reproductive cloning of human beings came into force in March 2001; however Portugal, Spain and Greece were the only countries to ratify this (while Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Sweden signed it).

It has been acknowledged that "there is a consensus in the Community that interventions in the human germ line and the cloning of human beings offend public order and morality."[5] However, some nations such as the United Kingdom granted licenses to some scientists to practice therapeutic cloning. This is despite other agreements such as the 1966 International Covenant on civil and political rights that prohibits scientific and medical experiments without the consent of persons (article 7). The European Parliament has also called for a universal prohibition of the cloning of human beings at international level and has stressed the danger of differentiating between therapeutic and reproductive cloning.[6] The European parliament has also called each Member State to enact binding legislation prohibiting all research into any kind of human cloning within its territory and provide criminal penalties for any breach. The EU Commission has a European group on ethics in science and new technologies, and there is a commission on life sciences and biotechnology.[7]

The European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 have finalized a directive on setting standards of quality and safety for the donation, procurement, testing, processing, preservation, storage and distribution of human tissues and cells.[8] This has put into place a regulatory framework that ensures quality and safety standards in the European Union. The directive states that as a matter of principle, tissue and cell application programmes should be founded on the philosophy of voluntary and unpaid donation of tissue and cell donations and this is a factor which may contribute to high safety standards and the protection of human health.[9] The directive ensures that gametes for IVF work are obtained on the basis of voluntary donation only when it comes into force in national legislation. This prevents the exploitation of women, particularly marginalized and poor women who may be coerced into entering the dangerous procedure of donating their eggs for financial incentive.

The European parliament recently had a hearing and resolution[10] on reports[11] that British fertility clinics were procuring eggs from abroad and payment was being offered to Romanian women. The Romanian authorities closed the clinic concerned in this case. The European parliament called the commission to investigate the reports, warned about the potential exploitation of women and reminded the European institutions that the human body should not be a source of financial gain. The parliament showed concerns for the possibility of serious effects on women’s health (through Ovarian Hyperstimulation syndrome[12]) and condemned all trafficking of the human body and its parts.

The 7^th European research framework programme is being prepared for the next time period (starting in 2007).The Parliament has already asked the Commission to prohibit funding for human cloning under any EU programme. There are few precautions to ensure that funding for embryonic stem cell research does not take place on the EU budget, despite the fact that this method is prohibited in at least 8 member states. However, embryonic stem cell research has never been funded by the EU in the past and it is unlikely given the parliament’s intervention that the 7^th Framework programme will include such funding.

Of all the European nations, Britain has demonstrated that it has the most permissive legislation in most areas of bioethics. Recently the Human fertilization and embryology authority (HFEA) had a consultation process[13] on assisted conception. This process analyzed whether it would be acceptable to have “compensation” of £1,000 for those who donate their eggs. The process of assisted conception in Britain and other European countries is currently against the convention on the rights of the child. This states that children have the right to know and to be raised by their parents.[14]

Recently Ian Wilmut, the Scientist who created Dolly the Sheep, was granted a licence by the HFEA to perform cell nuclear replacement, a form of human cloning.[15] This will enable him to study Motor Neurone Disease in detail and it is only the second time that such a licence has been granted in the United Kingdom since the legalization of therapeutic cloning in 2001. Yet scientific studies in this area continue to demonstrate that adult stem cell research has been far more effective in scientific advances.[16]

The World Youth Alliance - Europe

Considerations

concerning Human Cloning and Stem Cell Research

The World Youth Alliance - Europe welcomes the discussion of human genetics at all levels in society. It hopes that through these considerations, politicians, academia, media and civil society will gain a deeper awareness of human dignity and the infinite value of every human being. This appreciation will lead to greater respect and protection of the embryo, the child, men, women, the elderly and the handicapped.

In its concern for human dignity and society as a whole, the World Youth Alliance - Europe raises the following points of concern in the field of human genetics.

As regards human cloning:

1) The difference between therapeutic and reproductive cloning exists only in intention. The method and the ethical implications are the same. Therefore we consider that:

a) Therapeutic and reproductive cloning differ only with respect to their purpose. The method of creating the clone is identical in both cases. An act violating human dignity is not rendered ethical by its purpose.

b) Therapeutic and reproductive cloning differ in that the latter technique involves the implantation of an already created cloned embryo. If therapeutic cloning is allowed but reproductive cloning is not then any cloned embryo created will by law have to be killed.

c) Reproductive cloning could be performed legally if one country had legislation permitting only therapeutic cloning while another had no such legislation but allowed the implantation of existing embryos. National prohibitions will be circumvented by the simple expedient of transferring embryos from one country to another.

d) Therapeutic cloning leads, in practice, to reproductive cloning. Once society becomes accustomed to therapeutic cloning it is only a matter of time before reproductive cloning becomes acceptable.

2) The term therapeutic cloning is misleading: It is distinguished from reproductive cloning because the intention is not to grow the human being to its full size but rather destroy it before implantation. Accordingly, it should rather be called ‘destructive cloning.’

3) The instrumentalization of human beings – producing as chosen – will negatively influence the image society has of human beings. Care for the sick and handicapped will decrease.

a) If there were human beings from certain cell lines, they would all be categorized and lead a socially challenged life.

b) Clones would be deprived of their right to be genetically unique (presupposing a consensus on these rights). Further, they would suffer great health risks, as we have witnessed in the instances of animal cloning.

c) The harvesting of eggs as well as the need for surrogate mothers will instrumentalize woman and decrease society’s respect for them once more.

d) It is a violation of the human dignity of the embryo for it to be used only as a means to an end. Even if one were to hold that the embryo is only a potential human being, it would still deserve special protection.

e)To clone and use a human organism for research purposes changes the attitude of society towards people in general and also towards their offspring. If human life is regarded as disposable in its early stage it will be regarded as disposable at a later stage of development also.

3) Experiments with animal cloning have had a very low success rate. It took 276 unsuccessful attempts before Dolly the sheep was created. Therefore,

a) A fully developed clone as well as any material obtained from a destroyed clone could contain genetic material with a high risk of malformation, premature ageing, cancer, etc. Harvested grafts and tissues would carry these risks.

b) Due to the abnormal development of most cloned embryos (for example the enlarged animal syndrome), many abortions will have to be performed. This is lethal to the embryo and onerous for the mother.

4) Regarding research on human beings:

a) Scientists have stated that human cloning is not necessary for research and does not promise substantial benefits;

b) Motives such as financial gain or mere scientific interest cannot justify violating human dignity;

c) Here, an old slogan may be adapted: “No to animal and human testing!”

5) Human beings cannot be subjects of experimentations which are of no value to them. (Article 17 European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine.) This prohibition is also contained in the Hippocratic oath which requires knowledge to be used only to heal.

6) In prohibiting the creation of human embryos for research purposes article 18(2) of the European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine thereby prohibits all therapeutic cloning.

7) Human cloning requires many eggs. Women’s dignity will be violated by reducing them to egg donors, and subjecting them to strong hormone therapy and surgical harvesting. Attitudes towards women would be adversely affected as a result.

8) Even if an embryo in its early stages is not considered to be a human person, human life should still be treated with great respect – an ethical barrier has to be upheld. Accordingly, human life should not be manufactured (= hand made) since this risks turning human embryos into products or possessions.

9) Therapeutic cloning and the law

a) In many statements the European Parliament has condemned the cloning of human beings – disregarding method or intent. At least some consistency in approach is a basic element of democracy. The European Parliament should therefore take its former statements into careful consideration (as, for example, is expressly required for the Temporary Committee on Human Genetics).

b) Several legal documents of the European Union state that human cloning is ‘against the ordre public’ (see for example Directive 98/44/EC).

10) The long-term effects of human cloning practices cannot yet be foreseen: the genetic system had a stable development over a period of millions of years. To interfere now could lead to unknown and potentially disastrous results.

11) The way human cloning is currently being discussed raises hopes in patients which can probably never be fulfilled.

As regards stem cell research:

1) The use of adult stem cells is a promising alternative:

a) Embryonic stem cell research has to date not yielded any therapeutic benefits, by contrast adult stem cell research has yielded a great many.

b) Adult stem cells therapy:

I) have a lower risk of rejection since the cells come from the patient

II) allow a more controlled growth of transplanted stem cells.

2) Allowing embryonic stem cell research will inevitably divert funds and research efforts from promising alternatives which are not ethically problematic.

3) The human embryo – even in its very early stages – belongs to the human species, because:

a) It is human life and it is an individual;

b) Every scientific indication suggests that natural twinning is determined at the latest at the two-cell stage. There is no reliable recorded case of artificially induced twinning which has resulted in more than one human embryo surviving;

c) The development of the human organism is continuously taking place without any qualitative transitions. Human life is there from conception and deserves special protection;

d) The zygote and the adult share the same genetic make-up (material identity);

e) Personhood cannot be acquired gradually;

f) If we are not sure whether embryos are human persons or beings we must adopt the safer course (in dubio pro reo). Thus, in case of doubt in such delicate matters, we cannot experiment on human embryos.

4) Destructive embryo research is not morally equivalent to abortion. In abortion, the interests of the mother could be said to conflict with the rights of the embryo. However, no such conflict exists with embryos in vitro: the interests of scientists do not equate to those of the mother and therefore in no case can they justify the destruction of the embryo.

5) Concerning European Union funding of research on embryonic stem cells:

a) The European Union shall respect the law of the Member States and not fund what is illegal in a large number of Member States.

b) Not to respect the law of the Member States will create division instead of unity. This is against the fundamental idea of Europe.

Pro Cloning Arguments analyzed

There is an almost unanimous consensus around the world that reproductive cloning is a gross violation of the dignity of the human person and an assault upon humanity. There is not a single country at the United Nations calling for a permissive stance on reproductive cloning. Opinion at the United Nations diverges over the issue of therapeutic cloning. This is partly because some nations have vested economic interests in this area and national legislation that permits research in this area. The following arguments have been used at the United Nations recently and they shall be analyzed.

During the recent debates in the United Nations[17], the delegation of Mexico claimed that there was a dichotomy between reproductive and therapeutic cloning. The two processes are identical in method and differ only in purpose. Therefore we cannot consider that these forms of cloning are different.

China stated that different countries varied in their understanding of the text’s inherent moral, ethical and religious aspects. Nevertheless, establishment of universal criteria for international issues must be established in concordance with an understanding of the common good. Diversity and plurality in understanding cannot justify the eradication of traditional norms of morality.

Republic of Korea Republic of Korea’s delegation thought that therapeutic dignity would reaffirm human dignity by relieving pain and suffering. The South African delegation considered therapeutic cloning to be aimed at protecting human life. These predictable utilitarian arguments are deeply flawed in their thinking. The destruction of human life, even in its earliest stages in order to provide the alleviation of suffering for others can not be considered in concordance with human dignity. Therapeutic cloning is not very therapeutic for those embryos that are subject to it. An act violating human dignity is not rendered ethical by its purpose.

What is needed at the international level is a convention banning all forms of human cloning in order to protect the dignity of the human person and in order to avoid the exploitation of vulnerable women. The British government has already demonstrated that it will ignore the UN’s declaration. A convention would bring a greater amount of moral authority from the international community and whilst it would only be binding to the nations that sign it, it would send another clear message to governments of the world that human cloning is morally repugnant and a grave offense towards the human community. Governments of the world should also analyze how support for article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights[18] (passed with complete support in 1948) has been blatantly disregarded in some national legislation (in many bioethical areas) and should propose and implement legislation that ensures that everyone from conception to natural death enjoys the right to life.

WYA Summary of arguments against Therapeutic Cloning

•Human cloning is a violation of human dignity because human beings are made an object of experiment and a human embryo would be used only as a means to an end. It creates a class of humans who exist only as a means to achieve the end of others. An act violating human dignity is not rendered ethical by its purpose. Human cloning leads to the commodification and commercialization of human life. It destroys the dignity of person and is the gateway to genetic manipulation and control of human beings. Overall Human embryos should not be created for experimentation or grown for body parts.

•It is a tragic paradox that some believe one should sacrifice the life of one human being in order to serve the life of another. To destroy human beings to save others simply makes no sense. Science should serve human dignity.

•Human cloning risks the health of women and involves the exploitation of women. The harvesting of eggs and need of surrogate mothers in order to obtain eggs instrumentalizes women. Vulnerable women in poor countries may be exploited to obtain the eggs. There is no justification for harvesting of eggs from women who are not undergoing fertility treatment for themselves. Little is known about the causes, course and cures of Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome (OHSS), which according to the WHO occurs in 1% of patients each time they undergo a cycle of egg harvesting. No doctor should participate in a dangerous medical practice that is of no benefit to the patient.

•Accepting therapeutic cloning could mean that it would be a matter of time to accept reproductive cloning. Banning only the implantation of embryos is virtually unenforceable and very difficult in reality. Therapeutic and reproductive cloning differ only in purpose and the method of creation is identical. Legalizing therapeutic cloning whilst reproductive cloning remains illegal means that by law a cloned human embryo would have to be killed.

•The speculative experimentation of human cloning would divert resources and delay cures from more pressing issues in the world.

•There have been no clinical results from embryonic stem cell research; however there have been 56 from adult stem cell research. A large number of scientists now think adult stem cell research offers greater promise and options. It has been far more successful in clinical treatments and has no ethical dilemmas.

•The very low success rate of experiments with animal cloning suggests that by its very nature cloning is a unreliable and deeply flawed method. It took 276 unsuccessful attempts to create Dolly the sheep who incidentally had premature aging.

•Human life should never be bought or sold as a commodity (as described in the EU charter of fundamental rights, article 3).
•Over 80% (approx) of the world’s population believes in the sanctity of human life and therapeutic cloning is an insult to this concept.

•Overall human cloning is dangerous, unethical and unnecessary.

Useful Bioethical References

European Parliament resolution on the trade in human egg cells (P6_TA-PROV(2005)0074)

http://www2.europarl.eu.int/omk/sipade2?PUBREF=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P6-TA-2005-0074+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&LEVEL=3&NAV=X

Adoption of political declaration on cloning by United Nations General Assembly

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/ga10333.doc.htm

Directive 2004/23/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 on setting standards of quality and safety for the donation, procurement, testing, processing, preservation, storage and distribution of human tissues and cells

http://europa.eu.int/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexapi!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=en&numdoc=32004L0023&model=guichett

Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union

http://www.europarl.eu.int/charter/pdf/text_en.pdf

United Nations – Ad hoc committee on an international convention against the reproductive cloning of human beings (includes a description of developments at the UN on cloning).

http://www.un.org/law/cloning/

UNESCO- The Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights (This declaration was adopted by the General Assembly on 9^th December1998, resolution 53/152).

http://portal.unesco.org/shs/en/ev.php-URL_ID=2228&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

United Nations declaration of Human Rights (1948)

http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of 16 December 1966
Article 7 : “no one shall be subjected without his free consent to medical or scientific experimentation.”

http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/a_ccpr.htm

Council of Europe- Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine: Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine (ETS No.164) of 4 April 1997.

http://conventions.coe.int/treaty/en/Treaties/Html/164.htm

Council of Europe- Additional Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine, on the Prohibition of Cloning Human Beings (ETS No.168) of 12 January 1998.

http://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/Treaties/Html/168.htm

Convention on the Rights of the child

http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/k2crc.htm

[1] http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/ga10333.doc.htm

[2] Sixth committee working group (Sept/Oct 2003, Draft Resolution, A/C.6/58/L.2)

[3] http://conventions.coe.int/treaty/en/Treaties/Html/164.htm (Oviedo, 1997).

[4] http://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/Treaties/Html/168.htm (Paris, 1998).

[5] Directive 98/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 1998 on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions n.40, http://europa.eu.int/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexapi!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=en&numdoc=31998L0044&model=guichett

[6] European parliament resolution on human cloning, 9/2000, http://www3.europarl.eu.int/omk/omnsapir.so/pv2?PRG=CALDOC&FILE=000907&LANGUE=EN&TPV=DEF&SDOCTA=8&TXTLST=1&Type_Doc=FIRST&POS=1

[7] http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/biotechnology/introduction_en.html

[8] Directive 2004/23/EC. http://europa.eu.int/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexapi!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=en&numdoc=32004L0023&model=guichett

[9] Directive 2004/23/EC (18 and 19).

[10] http://www2.europarl.eu.int/omk/sipade2?PUBREF=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P6-TA-2005-0074+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&LEVEL=3&NAV=X

[11] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4118625.stm

[12] A serious case of this syndrome occurs according to the WHO in 1% of women who donate their eggs. It is potentially fatal and there are also other adverse side effects linked with egg donation.

[13] http://www.hfea.gov.uk/PressOffice/Archive/1100172284

[14] Convention on the rights of the child, article 7 and 9. http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/k2crc.htm

[15] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4245267.stm

[16] www.stemcellresearch.org

[17] http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/ga10333.doc.htm

[18] http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html