Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Michael J. Fox and Stem Cell Research

Michael J. Fox is one of my favorite comedic actors. His acting in "Back to the Future" (the first one) made that picture one of my favorite films of all time. I studied fiction in college (in creative writing courses that I took just for fun) and that film had all the required elements of myth that are the foundation for successful fiction and have been for millenia. (See Campbell's book on the subject, Hero With a Thousand Faces for details.)

Because I like Fox so much, I really regret his diagnosis with Parkinson's disease. I profoundly hope that he may be cured of the disease or at least treated in such a way as to minimize its effects.

Unfortunately, Michael has become a shill for Democratic candidates for office, because they support embryonic stem cell research, which he thinks may someday produce a cure for diseases like Parkinson's. I don't know why he or anyone else believes this, because as far as I know embryonic stem cell research hasn't produced any evidence that this is true. I have heard, however, that adult stem cell research has produced promising results.

Normally, a celebrity's public support of Democrats would be enough for me to lose respect and support for them and to avoid their performances. Such was the case with the Dixie Chicks. I will never buy another CD of their music in spite of the fact that they are very talented. I have a low opinion of George Clooney and when I see his handsome face onscreen I feel repugnance for him, because of his loony left politics. But I will give Michael J. Fox a pass, because I know he is probably desperate to find a cure for his disease.

That doesn't mean, however, that Fox should be exempt from criticism or disagreement. So I am glad to see other celebrities are making political ads to counter and to rebut those that Michael made.

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