August 5, 2016: Del Rio News-Herald * OPINION * Letter to the Editor * 'The Right View' discusses gene editing

Letter to the Editor,

"The Right View" discusses gene editing

You’ve heard of the women from the talk show “The View”; well this is a segment from the women of “The Right View”.

Antonietta: Gene editing allows scientists to alter the genetic code of a human embryo to change the child’s eye color, hair color, sex, and other features.

Henrietta: I find something very sinister taking place: A human being has become a something, and is no longer a someone.

Francesca: Currently, these procedures are either illegal or considered not safe enough for practice, but scientists are quickly seeking to change that. 

Benedicta: Tiny humans are being thought of in the same context as we choose the model, make, style, and color of a new car. 

Juana Paula: If I were to apply that standard to adults and comment about someone being the wrong size, color, or gender, I would quickly be called a racist, bigot, or hater. But somehow it’s okay to apply this standard to babies?

Antonietta: The way the procedure works is that scientists alter the embryonic babies in a lab, and they implant the altered baby into the mother via in vitro fertilization. Now, many people believe that the possibility of scientists discovering a way to end disease through this process is a noble endeavor. What they don’t realize is that thousands of small babies are dying because of this research. Scientists perform their experiments on embryonic babies, record their findings, and discard the babies who have served their purpose as “guinea pigs”.

Henrietta: What happens in those labs is eerily similar to the experiments the Nazis conducted on Jews during World War II to try to create the perfect humans. Our world should be outraged by what is taking place in the scientific community, but instead of outrageous anger, all we hear is overwhelming accolades.

Francesca: I cannot help but think that we have reduced the miracle of life to making your own teddy bear at Build-A-Bear stores; designer babies at Build-A-Baby labs.

Benedicta: Ladies, we'll be right back after a commercial message from our sponsors the Babbling-N-Giggling Company, makers of a line of fine baby products to keep your baby happy and healthy.

Marian Casillas, Ed.D.