"The Stem Cellar"

The neocons love to brace liberals over their supposed "situational ethics," a shifting ground of moral ambiguity that they purport to be part and parcel of being left of center.

Funny then, when you see conservatives (and Nancy Reagan is only the most visible example) deciding that embyonic stem cell research is okay because their husband or wife is starting to lose mental cohesion. Perhaps they'd have the same response to abortion if little daughter Mindy or Britney of Linsey came home knocked up.

You see, if you want to be a stiff, unbending idealogue, you don't get to make these sorts of distinctions. If you take this anti-intellectual stance, you then you'd better take it all the way, buddy. If you want to live in a world that is only black and white, you won't be allowed to play the subtle gray areas in between, where much of the world's great thinkers and thoughts have emerged from.

And when and if scientists use stem cell research to cure a brutal, unyeilding disease (whatever it may be) we're going to check you voting record in the same way you excoriate politicians who support the right to choose. And if we find that you're a right-wing nut who wants it both ways, we're going to make sure that Bob the Friendly Pharmacist denies your request for the drug....in an effort to help you steer clear of situational ethics.