Cloning: The Gateway to the

Manipulation of the Species

By Dr. Wayne Cooper

I have several objections to embryonic stem cell research, starting with the basic fact that it devalues human life. This is expanded by my disgust with its deceptive misrepresentation of its motives and efficacy. But, I am principally concerned that everyone understands its role as a gateway technology.

Cloning is a gateway to re-engineering the human species. As Richard Doerflinger points out, “genetic engineering is such a hit and miss procedure that one must be able to duplicate one’s rare successes...If scientists can make a new being who is exactly the same as another, they can refine their procedure to make that new being the same except for one or two ‘superior’ traits and then build on it.”

C. S. Lewis, in The Abolition of Man says, “If anyone age attains by eugenics and scientific education the power to make its descendants what it pleases, all men who live after are the patients (pawns) of that power, slaves to the dreaded hand of the great planners and conditioners.”

Are you aware that the U. S. Government as well as the technological and academic communities are interested in using these kinds of tools for the purpose of enhancing human function? Christopher Hook in his book, Enhancing Human Beings through Mechanical Devices, reveals how there is a growing movement to transform homo sapiens into a superior post-human form. This movement is known as “Transhumanists.” And by using advances in nanotechnology and neurotechnologies, such as wearable computing and neurochips, they see the technosapien as the next step up the evolutionary ladder. Can you imagine the bionic soldier?

Can you see how such enhancements could provide competitive advantage or enhance professional performance? However, at the same time, they set the stage for a great manipulation of human beings. It will begin on a voluntary basis where people who desire and can afford the enhancement/s, but the competitive advantage could soon lead to the economic discrimination or manipulation of the non-enhanced. And as Dr. Hook has posited in his book, there could eventually become a collective will, the “Borg” of Star Trek mythology, to control human behavior and those not complying with the “Borg” could become undesirable and expendable.

I believe this gateway factor is the gravest threat. And it is incumbent on us to recognize the danger and impose serious regulatory control over the biotech industry that will guide it to its promising benefits while guarding the future of humanity.

Dr. Wayne Cooper is a Missouri State Representative from Camdenton, MO who represents the citizens of the 155th state representative district. Dr. Cooper can be reached by e-mail at wayne.cooper@house.mo.gov.

Publisher’s Comment

Dr. Cooper raises a number of points which most proponents of human cloning will scoff at and call ridiculous. Others will dismiss his warning with a smirk or chuckle. As far as I am concerned, Dr. Cooper’s concerns are nothing to laugh about.

To put Dr. Cooper’s concerns into a historic perspective, the Nazis attempted to create a “super race.” More recently various dictators have murdered millions of people in efforts to “ethnically cleanse” their nations. The Nazis and those who have attempted to do away with those who they felt were “undesirable” did not possess the technology which we have today.

We must never ever forget that man is inherently evil and sinful. Given over to his sinful nature, he will use whatever means possible to satisfy his desires and attempt to quench his thirst for money and power.

Since the fall of man, man has sought to become a god unto himself and human cloning is man taking on the roll of God. We cannot, under any circumstances, allow the sanctioning of human cloning - which is exactly what the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures through their Stem Cell Research Initiative will accomplish if they are successful.