Will we curse the Obama/Biden administration or what? If the U.S. Congress make the mandatory requirement for us, culturally deaf individuals to undergo the hearing restoration or face the fines / lose the special tax breaks (We do not have that kind of tax breaks at that time).
I have some mixed feelings about using the undeveloped fetus - real defenseless creatures for our stem cells research. I am not politically conservative or a religious person. I do support women's rights to decide what to do with their own bodies. The issue of abortion within unwanted pregnancy bother me lately.
Not many people realize that the cosmetic industry usually use up the snipped pieces of skin from male circumcision among young male babies. Those discarded skins ended up in the manufacturing the regenerated skin creams nowadays.
Stem cells research could bring us endless benefits, but questions at the expense of defenseless "few days old" fetus, somewhat bother me lately.
I personally think that the Obama/Biden administration kinda rush on the issue of stem cells research with federal funds before Obama takes up the oath on January 20th.
Deaf people everywhere could be classified as "undesired" if we choose not to restore our genetic flaws or blessing features.
Back in the 1992 presidential election, Bill Clinton and the Democrats were staunch supporters for mainstreaming deaf students into regular schools. President George W. Bush and the Republicans supported the existence of residential schools for the education of the deaf.
Culturally deaf people probably resign to the idea of stem cells use to reverse or restore the hearing loss as compared to the much invasive cochlear implant surgery.
Our unique social and cultural identity as deaf people would be fading into forgotten history of the humankind if there are real success with the stem cells research of reversing or restoring the deaf being to the "perfect" human.
RLM
That's pretty pessimistic view. I think as long as there are DoD people, Deaf Community will continue in a smaller scale.
ReplyDeleteIt boils down to parental choice. As long as the government recognize the rights of the parents, Deaf people should be ok, regarding their Deaf children.
I hope I am not wrong. If the government ever start mandating everybody, including children to undergo stem cell therapy against their will, it will be a sad day for humanity
MZ,
ReplyDeleteYes and no, there are many possibilities with the future national government turning adult deaf individuals in name of perfect society. Who knows?
I am not only talking about mandatory requirement among deaf youngsters. Deaf adults probably will be subjected to the forced therapy in name of science.
Let's wait and keep close eyes on our governments and private sectors and public advocacy groups.
RLM
RLM,
ReplyDeleteI doubt the government will not go that far. The lessons from the Hitler Regime are still embedded too deeply among us. But nobody can predict what the future will bring.
If the Deaf adults opt to get aural stem cell therapy, they won't be able to understand spoken language unless they heard the language prior becoming deaf. The average brain had lost its plasticity to learn how to recognize spoken language. At the best, they can recognize specific words and environmental sounds.
Hmm, just thinking of another possible scenario. If the stem cell therapy include neural cells, then the brain can be stimulated to learn to listen to a spoken language.
If so, that will change the whole picture.
Still I doubt the government will go that far, not during our lifetime.
The government does not need to force anything. If a cure for the multitude of causes of deafness is found then deafness will phase out over time.
ReplyDeleteFirst the cures will be announced, the majority of deaf will ignore it, however hearing parents will grasp onto it. The 75% - 90% of deaf children born to hearing parents will be cured end of story,
Slowly a few DoD will decide they want their children to hear as well.
Slowly and over time, deafness will be a memory, however ASL is another story, will it survive the eventual cure of deafness???
I would like to think there will be some need for ASL.
ReplyDeleteTime will tell.
These are interesting things to ponder. I would think that stem cell therapy has a long, long way to go to prove its safety...we already have on record stem cell therapy deaths in other medical situations such as leukemia. The question of stem cells going bad resulting in cancer is still not answered.
ReplyDeleteIt would probably be at least another full generation before Deaf people accept stem cell therapy once it is proven safe.
Deaf people would have to see for themselves the benefits that hearing, even late hearing with its possible limitations, could bring for them.
An important factor is whether it would bring full tonal range, natural hearing, not the limited range, artfical hearing that the CI brings at best.
There will always be those who opt out of stem cell, those who cannot benefit from it, and those who try it but fail to obtain any improvement.
Sign language in some form will always exist and the way genetics goes, there will always be new Deaf people born every year to both Deaf and hearing parents.
Don't bury sign language yet for at least 30, maybe 60 more years.
Oh, one more thing to ponder: Not all stem cells have to come from aborted or unused embryos. Research is also exploring ways to convert a sample of one's own body cells back to stem cells, avoiding issues of ethics and rejection.
ReplyDeleteEveryone,
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your great comments.
MZ is kinda right about me being pessisimtic.
Many of you made real good points. I truly appreciate your ponders to share with me and others.
RLM
Everyone,
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your great comments.
MZ is kinda right about me being pessisimtic.
Many of you made real good points. I truly appreciate your ponders to share with me and others.
RLM