In Ernest Hemingway's Hills Like White Elephants - Essay Example

Nathan #7076 Stem Cell Assign # Academia Research 24 February 2007 A Fallible Comparison In Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants," Jig is faced with the choice of aborting her pregnancy. Hemingway's "Hills" are symbolic of a pregnant woman's stomach while his "White Elephants" are representative of unwanted gifts. We are led to believe hat Jig, of course, chooses not to follow through with the abortion. In 2006, millions of terminally or seriously sick were faced with the opportunity to use stem cells to cure and, often, to save their very lives.

These two situations do not even compare with one another. Someone who would have to make the choice of using stem cells is facing the severity of life and death. The choice of parenthood, while serious and permanent, is NOT the same thing. These two choices are not comparable for a number of reasons, no matter how much anti-abortionists might like to claim that they are.First of all, "embryonic" stem cells don't commonly actually come from conceived embryos. The cells used for research are "typically done by using frozen embryos left over from in-vitro fertilization" (Quindlen).

This fact negates the anti-abortionist "life-begins-at-conception" claim (Quindlen). Conception has not taken place so, even an anti-abortionist would have t admit that no life is being lost. In fact, there was no life to begin with. The only lives that are being lost are the critically and/or terminally ill who might benefit from stem cells.If abortion, according to those who oppose it "stops a beating heart," then the embryos used for stem cell research do not apply. As Quindlen says, "There is no heart to stop in this pre-implantation embryo.

" Simply put, you cannot stop something that is not present to begin with. That part of the body hasn't even developed yet because it is not a body. These frozen embryos, if not used for research, would likely be disposed of. At this stage, however, "they are the earliest undifferentiated collection of cells made by the joining of the egg and sperm" (Quindlen).The truth, one which anti-abortionist hardliners seem unable or unwilling to acknowledge, is that stem cell research is NOT an abortion issue.

These grandstanding, self-righteous activists chant mottos such as those already stated to illustrate the belief that they are saving lives. However, there is no valid argument that would validate the idea that being anti-abortion means one must also be anti-stem cell. This issue is one "about science, not abortion," and even "elected officials who had voted against abortion rights found themselves able to support procedures that used tissue from aborted fetuses" (Quindlen).The truth is that anti-abortionists who mistakenly take up the banner of the anti-stem cell lobby are not saving lies.

In fact, they are doing the opposite. According to Quindlen, "By some estimates, more than 100 million Americans have diseases that scientists suspect could be affected by research on stem cells." When one considers this, there are questions that must be asked. Are these misguided anti-abortionists who oppose stem cell research saving lives, or are they taking them Evidence seem to support the latter.