Stem-cells and coffee

This morning, I swung by Dunkin' Donuts, the one on US 1 and 27th Ave. I love DD coffee, and this one spot is kind of great because they have a new flat screen TV in the corner, which is usually airing MSNBC or CNN, so I get a touch of news with my beverage.

This morning, I saw Obama's mug on the screen, and the caption read of lifting the ban on stem-cell research. As I waited to get my bagel, some horrendous, judgemental creature with a distinctively Miami accent starts running her mouth, encouraged by a redneck in a baseball cap. She said loudly, "it's disgusting and unnatural!"

Very insightfully, she continued to tell some inane, unrelated story about her friend who couldn't conceive and who had frozen embryos and how they were babies or something equally archaic. She made sure to not use her "church voice" which would have been more appropriate, because she was so boringly Catholic.

It took all of my will-power to not ask her how she was going to feel about the scientific advancements they'd be making once her or her loved ones developed MS or leukemia.

Before strides are made in this area of medical research, people should have their opinions notarized, and once new treatments are found, those who spoke out so ignorantly on the subject, such as my DD bud, should whip out their statements and be asked once again if they really want to be treated with advancements that were found so "unnaturally." Maybe they'll refuse treatment, be denied treatment (never in America).

Much of my family is very Catholic. In that I mean many of them suffer through hours of deeply uninteresting masses every year. None of them are pro-life and none of them wouldn't support stem-cell research. It is perfectly possible to maintain your own faith and still remain progressive. You have to recognize that there is room to have a spiritual life without imposing your judgments on other people. I think that is the truly spiritually path, one that is without restrictions and punishment, one of forgiveness. If you're into JC, you might be into acceptance. If you're going to get all New Testament, do it right, and please, please do not ruin my morning screaming about it in the freaking Dunkin' Donuts on 27th Ave.

Tragically, it's impossible to change these people's minds and too difficult to lobotomize them all.
I admittedly am imperfect, and I have difficulty accepting their rants. Mostly it's not because of what they believe, but more because they're trying to hinder the actions of others.

To them I say, lay off, annoying preachers. No one cares what you think about abortion, stem cell research, the death penalty or if you're pro-war (if you're pro-peace, lift your voices high). For all you know, the person next to you may need that research to save their life, and you are basically wishing them dead, all for a cluster of undeveloped cells in a test tube in Virginia.