Friday, August 24, 2007

Cloning

Campaign to Prohibit All Human Cloning
in Missouri Launched Today!

(Released August 22, 2007)

A coalition of concerned Missouri citizens, doctors, and academics today launched the "Cures Without Cloning" initiative to prohibit human cloning in Missouri. Dr. Lori Buffa, of St. Peters, Missouri, filed proposed ballot language with the Secretary of State's office this morning. (Received Wednesday August 22, 2007)

"The Missouri Constitution currently allows for human cloning. It allows for the same cloning method that created Dolly the Sheep," said Dr. Buffa, who serves as chair of CWC. "This initiative will ensure this dangerous, unproven, unnecessary practice is prohibited, and allow us to focus on safe research that leads to lifesaving cures and treatments."

The initiative would amend the Missouri Constitution to prohibit the practice of human cloning, and would prohibit taxpayer funding of human cloning experiments. {click here to read the initiative}.

Missourians Against Human Cloning and Concerned Women for America wholeheartedly support this short, straightforward, scientifically accurate amendment for the following reasons:

1. The Cures Without Cloning Initiative will close the cloning loophole that
currently exists in our Missouri Constitution.

2. The Cures Without Cloning Initiative will ensure that none of our tax dollars
can be spent on human cloning experiments.

3. The Cures Without Cloning Initiative will allow researchers in our state to
focus on the many avenues of ethical research that provide real cures and
treatments and real hope for those suffering from diseases.

The Initiative does NOT:
1. prohibit Stem Cell Research – this is not a stem cell issue, it is a human
cloning issue

2. stop the search for cures and treatments to alleviate suffering

3. repeal Amendment 2

I hope that each of you will join in supporting this important initiative. It is not enough to file an initiative. Once the ballot title is certified by the Secretary of State, all of us who support this initiative will need to circulate petitions and secure the signatures to place this important legislation before the voters in 2008.

Since this is a citizens’ initiative, we will need every citizen to participate! Trainings are being set up in every county regarding circulating the petitions for signatures. Signatures will be gathered in a variety of places: churches, neighborhoods, individuals contacting family and friends, etc. Volunteers will be able to participate in whatever venues they are most comfortable. Gathering signatures must be done according to the specifications of the Secretary of State, and must be done only by those who are registered to do so.

The goal is to collect at least 200,000 signatures with a volunteer effort. This will take all of us working together to spread the word across our state. Please sign up today to help with this important effort.


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Warning! If, or when, challenged in court, Ammendment 2 will not hold up, because it's entire wording was not published in the newspapers of every county, as required by Missouri law on an intiative vote to ammend the constitution. Let Us not make that same mistake! Along with our grass roots push for a contitutional ammendment with teeth, let's make sure that local efforts include getting the complete wording of the ammendment published in as many local newspapers as possible.
Ammendment 2 can, and likely will eventually be stricken down, as it did not meet the requirements of a constitutional initiative!
I would like for this one to be a little more stable. When challenged about Ammendment 2, a judge would have to either strike down Ammendment 2, or rule that all of the other provisions of the Missouri Constitutions have no power or meaning either, as the Missouri Constitution requires that the full wording must be published in two newspapers in each county of the state to have a valid vote. The constitution specifies that the last time the entire wording appears in the local paper, it must be less than 15 days before the election to be a valid vote. READ THE CONSTITUTION at your public library. Make sure our initiative is valid and legal, so it can't be struck down so easily.
johnfhunter.blogspot.com

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