PURIM REVISITED! IS THE ADL CORRECT??

“Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had
neither father nor mother. This girl who was also known as Esther, was lovely in form
and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.” Esther 2:7

On March 2, 2005 around our nation, Hadassah had a national Date with the State lobby day for SOS. Their State of Stem Cells presentation encouraging California style
funding for ESCR embryonic stem cell research. That SOS really ought to be
a call to help embryonic life in our nation.

Of all human groups which should be finely attuned to the needs of the oppressed, one
would think that Jewish mothers would be at the top of the list.

Having been the target of Hitler’s destructive march for eugenic purity, these descendents
of Auschwitz should be working over time to protect innocent life. They of all humans on the planet should be familiar with the beautiful story of Queen Esther and how the Lord used her to save His people.

Taking a human life to potentially find a cure for another human, is reminiscent of the heinous German notion of using the skin of murdered Jews to create lampshades. Have the memories of the holocaust grown so dim as to no longer serve as a morality check on today’s human psyche?

Pro-lifers are accused of opposing stem cell research. An honest assessment of the
opposition would reveal that they, to a person, support ethical stem cell research
which does not destroy human life.

Adult stem cell research has produced a variety of amazingly marvelous improvements
in the health status of the incapacitated. Embryonic stem cell research has to date produced no successful cures. In fact, harmful effects like teratomas have resulted.
With embryonic cells being undifferentiated, tumors of hair and baby teeth can
occur with implantations of ECSR.

The largest women’s group, Hadassah, should re-read the book of Esther and become
well versed in its lessons, before Purim, March 14.

Embryonic life in America needs you Hadassah!

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this.” Esther 4:14.

Leslie Hanks
V.P. Colorado Right to Life








Letters to the Editor
The Colorado Statesman 
     March 11, 2005


To the Editor:

There are important philosophical issues in the debate over embryonic stem cell funding.  Reasonable people can differ on questions of when life begins, or whether adult stem cell research is more promising.  But it is never acceptable to descend to the level of offensive argument that appears in Leslie Hanks' letter of March 11 in The Colorado Statesman. 

Instead of debating the merits of the issue, Ms. Hanks dwells on the Jewish roots of Hadassah, an international women's group, which encouraged the General Assembly to look into funding stem cell research.

Moreover, it is highly offensive, inflammatory, disrespectful and inappropriate to compare stem cell research to find cures for human disease with the Holocaust, in which the Nazis murdered six million Jews and others.  Ms. Hanks has the audacity to tell Jews how they should think, believe and act in light of her interpretation of Jewish history and biblical stories.

Legitimate debate on important issues of the day is welcomed in our democracy.  Diatribes focused on the religion of one's opponents and what they "should" believe are not appropriate, and deserve to be rejected by the readers of this publication.

 
Sincerely,

Bruce DeBoskey
Mountain States Regional Director