Bush is trying to play both sides on stem-cell issue

To the editor:

I think most of us can agree that President Bush has proven he is a strong leader, especially in the manner in which he is conducting this war. Because he has proven that he can be strong and decisive, it is doubly disappointing when he thinks he can play on both sides of the issue when it comes to stem-cell research.

Bush talks a good talk but has proven he is unwilling to walk the walk. First he broke his promise when he authorized public funding for destructive human embryo research. Now he is compounding the breach of trust by nominating Elias Zerhouni of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine as director of the National Institutes of Health. Zerhouni was a driving force in establishing the Institute for Cell Engineering, which intends to advance embryonic stem-cell research. The institute stands to benefit greatly from NIH grants.

Zerhouni and the president both fail the pro-life litmus test, because they apparently do not understand that life has dignity and must be respected from the moment of conception until natural death.

MARCUS SCHAEFER

Benton, Mo.