Dead Babies and Calcium Ions

WARNING: Some people might find this posting to be "divisive." It contains truth and fact, which may cause drowsiness or irritability for some readers. Promising new research shows that blocking calcium ions from entering adult neuron cells is essential to a new cure for Parkinson's. A new drug, isradipine, has been developed that does just that, and it requires no stem cells, embryonic or adult. No dead babies. This has some people upset. The truth can be divisive, especially if it knocks your worldview right between the eyes. My, my. People are so touchy, so excitable. They might be calmer if they would actually think about that which they believe they should be upset about. For example, yesterday I posted a piece titled, "Parkinson's Cured Without Dead Babies." The post was about a drug called isradipine that has been developed by Northwestern University. Isradipine offers great hope for sufferers of Parkinson's. Brightsurf.com reported that Northwestern University researchers found that the drug treats Parkinson's by restoring levels of dopamine in the brain. Blocking calcium ions from entering adult neuron cells is key to that. However... My headline "Parkinson's Cured Without Dead Babies" ruffled some feathers. Many people have been hoping that embryonic stem cell research)will provide help, if not a total cure, for Parkinson's. So far, not one disease has been helped by embryonic stem cell research. But along comes the isradipine drug, which does not use the flesh of destroyed human fetuses, offering great hope in the very near future. Guess what: That has people pissed off. Oh, yes it does. It challenges their Group Think mentality. It shows the fallibility of Their Side. It does not further the pro-choice agenda. I stand by my headline. Discarded human embryos, also known as dead babies, would not be involved in the process in any way. But then the comments came. A particularly bizarre comment came from "Kay Mixson Jenkins," who wrote such weird ramble that I had to give it its own posting. Highlights from Kay: She called herself a Nazi, a heathen, and said that she and her people would sell children's souls to the devil. Her words, not mine. A subsequent comment from "Penny Teem" is not as wild as Kay's, but is it misses the point just as wildly. The point of my post was simple: A new drug offers great hope for Parkinson's victims without the need for stem cells. Period. But Penny invites me to "come and talk with us." Talk? About what? Would she like to debate the merits of a drug versus the politically preferred embryonic stem cells? She goes on, "Please come and have an intelligence [sic] conversation with us at www.yopa.org. Log into the chat room, register and download the java sun software. Then you can talk with us directly." Again, talk about what? Finally, Penny said, "I'm disturbed by this blog and by the response to it." I don't understand why Penny is upset with report of a drug offering a cure to a disease. However, I do understand why Penny is upset with Kay Mixson Jenkin's loony response. Kay presented herself and her colleagues as "Nazis" and "heathens" who "would sell our children's souls to the devil for a cure." I wish Penny well, but she needs to take a deep breath, put this all in perspective, and take her complaints to Kay Mixson Jenkins. From: "Penny Teem" To: rogersparkbench@yahoo.com Penny Teem has left a new comment on your post "Nazis, Heathens to Gather at Hyatt Regency July 5-...": I'd like to comment on your blog. My husband and I both have young-onset parkinson's [sic] disease. We monitor and facilitate a chat room for the newly diagnosed people out there who are lost and confused. We'd like to invite you to come and talk with us. We man the chat room from 7-11 pm Central time every nite. We are no "nazi's, or heathens"... and we wouldn't sell our souls (or our children's) for a cure. Please come and have an intelligence conversation with us at www.yopa.org. Log into the chat room, register and download the java sun software. Then you can talk with us directly. I'm disturbed by this blog and by the response to it. And I personally would welcome a chance to talk with you about it. Penny Teem Posted by Penny Teem to Rogers Park Bench at June 12, 2007 10:55:00 PM CDT