I’ve been following the embryonic stem cell research debate for quite a few years now. I’ve supported Bush’s continual veto of any attempt to give federal tax dollars to support this research.

There are several reasons for this:

1. I believe human embryos are human life.
2. I don’t believe it is proper to allocate the citizens money towards such a morally ambiguous and controversial issue.
3. I don’t believe that embryonic stem cell research is the “holy grail” of tomorrow’s medical breakthroughs or in anyway a justification for wrong.

However, I find some problems with my own position as articulated by myself and others, including Bush.

It has long been my belief that there are no actual moral dilemnas, only perceived ones.  There are no situations where one is truly pitted between two kinds of evil with no third option.

That being said, the conservative, moral view of embryonic stem cell research seems to leave us with a Catch 22 “Damned if you do. Damned if you don’t” situation.  This reveals itself like so:

1. There are millions of embryos that have been manufactured for various reasons and it is impossible to bring them to full term.
2. Destroying them is wrong.
3. Destroying them for research is wrong.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but that looks an awful lot like a moral no win situation, does it not?

Conventional wisdom aside, I think we should consider another way of looking at this.

Our desire to accept any cost to reach a goal has resulted in national immorality. I will not dispute that. We, as an “enlightened” society have chosen to create life, only to discard it because it is convenient to our goals of defeating infertility problems.  I cannot ignore how morally irreprehensible this is.

However, is it possible that the murder has already been comitted?  If there is no way to undue our actions – if there is no way to correct this wrong, doesn’t this imply an end to our moral responsibility?

The alternative leaves us with a moral Catch 22.

I’m not attempting to engage in cheap parlor tricks or justify the wrong that has been comitted, I’m just questioning the location of the moral smoking gun.  I think the murder that has been comitted was comitted at the conception of these embryos with no chance of coming to full term.  We have no real options for righting that wrong.

So what am I saying? Am I saying we should allow federal funding? No. It’s too morally ambiguous. It isn’t right to implicate every American.

However, from a logical standpoint, maybe it would be “better” in some context for research to be done than for them to simply be discarded.  This could bring some meaning, however cheap, to this murder.  (Though I hesitate to even suggest that. I don’t want to get anywhere near the idea that this end is in anyway justification for the wrong that has been comitted.)

I’m not claiming to have the answer. I’m not attempting to side step the issue. I’m not even claiming to be right on this one. I’m attempting to ascertain our true moral responsibility. I welcome your thoughts. If I’m wrong, tell me. If I’m right, tell me.