Thanks to Wesley Smith’s blog today I found out about James Kelly, another paraplegic who is actively speaking out against Embryonic Stem Cell (ESC) research and in favor of Adult Stem Cells (ASC). This guy is fantastic! He used to be very much in favor of ESC research, relying on the testimony of “experts” and eventually realized the greater promise of ASC research and the reality of the scientists’ motives. The following articles are from the Seoul Times, for which he regularly writes. He wrote a three part testimonial on how and why he changed his opinion on ESC research and it is fabulous. He very acurately shows how scientists and researchers are using people in our situations to further this research for profit and prestige. This is a must read, truly wonderful:

About Face Part I
About Face Part II
About Face Part III
About Face Part IV

Perhaps the most interesting part of his testimony is in part III when he illustrates how Christopher Reeve opened his eyes to the exploitation of people with disabilities and disease by those in the biotech research industry:

“Because my medical condition was being used to mislead the Senate, I felt used and betrayed. However, perhaps Reeve was betrayed far worse.

Later that year I debated the practicality of cloning with Reeve at the New York Academy of Sciences. At Reeve’s request I tried to tell him of an adult bone marrow clinical trial for ALS and SCI in Turin, Italy. But as I began to speak I was physically muzzled from behind by the scientific moderator of the debate. While I struggled to pull his hands from my mouth, fifty reporters looked on in stunned silence and Reeve’s handlers quickly wheeled him from the room.

Not a word of this reached the public and Reeve remained in the dark.

Would those who misled and exploited Christopher Reeve hesitate to exploit the rest of mankind? Speaking for myself, I wouldn’t want my life or future in the hands of such people. And yet they’re holding both.

As he had touched many others around the world, actor Christopher Reeve touched my life — but not as his handlers intended.

Reeve opened my eyes to an unfolding global tragedy. He made me realize how far those pursuing a multi-billion dollar goldmine in long range basic research will descend to achieve their ends. I eventually concluded that while it appears that science and industry are using disability and disease to exploit human fetal and embryonic life, the truth is far worse. The push for ES and cloning research may exploit us all.”

I was so excited to find this today!