Proposal 2 sparks pro-life vs. pro-family controversy
Juliana D'Amico
Issue date: 10/30/08 Section: Beyond
During an early morning Mass, the priest at St. Anthony's Catholic Church instructed members to look at the Proposal 2 literature he had placed in each pew. In his homily, he urged his congregation to vote against the human embryonic stem cell research Proposal 2 supports.
His argument: Proposal 2 would give tax dollars to embryonic stem cell research, forcing Catholics who oppose embryonic stem cell research to at least support it financially.
Proposal 2 is a proposed amendment of the Michigan Constitution's Article 1, section 27 that would allow embryonic stem cell research within the state of Michigan. It has generated much controversy.
Proposal 2 has three main components: Nothing in the amendment would change Michigan's current ban on cloning; human embryonic stem cell research would be allowed and federally funded by the state of Michigan; and if any parts of this proposal are unconstitutional, they shall be removed from the rest of the proposal.
The debate has led to an emotionally charged campaign on both sides. One side claims it's pro-family; the other side claims it's pro-life.
The controversy centers around the possibly misleading language to appear on the ballot: Could the research cure diseases, would it affect the ban on cloning and where would its failure put Michigan and its economy, since both are trying to compete with other states and research labs?
Language of Proposal 2
Each of these three components of Proposal 2 contain their own qualifications not entirely mentioned in the abbreviated description voters will find on their ballot this election.
"They have taken a 400- or 500-word Constitutional Amendment and boiled it down to 100 words," said David Doyle, a spokesman for Michigan Citizens against Unrestricted Science and Experimentation, which opposes Proposal 2. "[Voters] should read the language very carefully because the actual constitutional language is very deceptive."
His argument: Proposal 2 would give tax dollars to embryonic stem cell research, forcing Catholics who oppose embryonic stem cell research to at least support it financially.
Proposal 2 is a proposed amendment of the Michigan Constitution's Article 1, section 27 that would allow embryonic stem cell research within the state of Michigan. It has generated much controversy.
Proposal 2 has three main components: Nothing in the amendment would change Michigan's current ban on cloning; human embryonic stem cell research would be allowed and federally funded by the state of Michigan; and if any parts of this proposal are unconstitutional, they shall be removed from the rest of the proposal.
The debate has led to an emotionally charged campaign on both sides. One side claims it's pro-family; the other side claims it's pro-life.
The controversy centers around the possibly misleading language to appear on the ballot: Could the research cure diseases, would it affect the ban on cloning and where would its failure put Michigan and its economy, since both are trying to compete with other states and research labs?
Language of Proposal 2
Each of these three components of Proposal 2 contain their own qualifications not entirely mentioned in the abbreviated description voters will find on their ballot this election.
"They have taken a 400- or 500-word Constitutional Amendment and boiled it down to 100 words," said David Doyle, a spokesman for Michigan Citizens against Unrestricted Science and Experimentation, which opposes Proposal 2. "[Voters] should read the language very carefully because the actual constitutional language is very deceptive."
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