An Open Letter to President-Elect Obama
D'var
Torah: Vayera
November 14, 2008
Dear Mr. President-Elect,
It is no exaggeration to say my prayers have been answered. I have hoped and even prayed that the next president would understand the importance of embryonic stem cell research, appreciate its morality and support government funding. Such a stance will make it possible for some of our greatest minds to pursue research and hopefully find treatment and even cures for some of the diseases that plague us most today.
You ran on a platform of definite support for embryonic stem cell research. Not only that, you indicated that upon taking office you would issue an executive order that would reverse the freeze of these past seven and a half years on government funding this important research. I know there are no guarantees but there is real scientific hope that these pluripotent embryonic stem cells can be used to respond to such afflictions as spinal chord paralysis, Alzheimer, Parkinson's disease and more.
I feel a little like Abraham and Sarah right now. Jews throughout the United States and even throughout the world read the Biblical story in Genesis 18 of the three visitors who tell Abraham and Sarah that Sarah will indeed give birth to a son within the following year. Sarah laughed in response to this news. She and Abraham hoped and prayed for a child for years but year after year they met with disappointment. When they were finally told that their prayers would be answered Sarah couldn't help but laugh. Her laugh was a sort of nervous laugh however. She wasn't sure she could trust this great news or that she was still physically able to give birth to a child.
I feel like laughing too. My laughter contains the joy of hoping for future healing but my laughter is also a nervous laugh. In these terrible economic times, is there really money to provide for this scientific and medical pursuit. While there is somehow money for ailing banks and businesses, there must be money that has been put on hold for too long. Once the research begins in earnest, will positive results be realized? Actually, I know that once great minds are set to work, great things happen.
This week, as you know, the American Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church met. They renewed their strong opposition to embryonic stem cell research and called on you to reverse your support. I am sure this is but one case of what will be many, many attempts in many different areas to lobby you to renege on the promises for change you made and which the American electorate heartily endorsed.
I want to tell you that it is not the case that all religious voices are opposed to embryonic stem cell research. In the summer of 2001, all of the major streams of Judaism from Reform to Orthodox issued statements and wrote to President Bush in support of stem cell research. It is a rare moment indeed when all Jewish voices are in agreement but this issue is one of those moments. Judaism does not at all believe that a 32 cell organism has the rights of real human life. Add to this the fact that these cell masses are slated to be destroyed at some point so if there is some promise for medical advancement, we should make good use of them rather than simply dispose of them.
I am sad when I think about what could have been these past seven and a half years. If America had dedicated itself to intensive embryonic stem cell research then, what would we know today that we don’t? What breakthroughs might have occurred? How could we be treating people who are suffering with no other treatments available. This is a very personal issue for me in that my wife suffers from Parkinson’s disease. The argument that research on 3 day old blastocysts diminishes our respect for human life is utterly wrong in my view. I think our permitting those afflicted to languish in their illness is truly diminishing reverence for life. The truth is that I can’t say that I am right and the Bishops are wrong and neither can it be said that they’re right and I’m wrong. It can be said however that no clergy has been elected on November 4. The American public has known your position and handed you the mandate to move forward.
I trust that your support of meaningful embryonic stem cell research will not waver. I trust you really meant what you said, and we will see a new era ushered in with a respect and support for science and research and for human life.
As I write this open letter to you Mr. Obama, I pray that G-d will grant you good health and much needed strength, wisdom and patience and all that is needed for you to be what we all need and so many believe you can be, a great president.
As I write this letter to you, I think about the teaching of a great sage who lived some eighteen hundred years ago, Rabbi Tarfon. “The day is short and the work is great and the Master of the House is waiting. It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work but neither are you free to evade it.” We don’t know that all of the great work will lead to cures but now is the time for us to stop evading and begin the work.
Respectfully,
