As some of you may know, I have Type 1 diabetes. I have been a diabetic since the age of four, a long time now.

I am simply amazed at the incredulity of those objecting to the President’s veto of funding for embryonic stem cell research. I am really amazed when objections are raised by the medical community. They should know better.

Embryonic stem cell research has led to absolutely zero cures or treatments. As a matter of fact, in some of the trials in which they have been used, they have made the patients worse.

At the same time, research on adult stem cell lines has produced real cures. Why doesn’t the medical community focus on adult stem cell lines and other areas that have a proven track record? I’m sure I would have a cure sooner if science would focus on what works, rather than on wild money chases. Could it be the funding itself —“ doctors and scientists lining their pockets with research grants at taxpayer’s expense?

Anyway, if I had a choice between a cure and the disease, and the cure was developed from murdered children, I would choose no cure. I may die earlier, I may be sicker, I may loose a lot, but at least I would die knowing I haven’t killed.

The following is a statement from the American Diabetes Association on the recent events and the President’s veto:

Lawrence T. Smith, Chair of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the parent of a daughter who has type 1 diabetes, issued the following statement in response to today’s passage in the U.S. Senate of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (H.R. 810). The ADA has been a strong supporter of the bill, which would accelerate medical advancements by easing existing restrictions and supporting research that uses embryonic stem cells, while maintaining strict ethical guidelines.

“This is a memorable day for Americans with diabetes and other debilitating diseases, and we thank the bipartisan group of Senators who voted to allow scientists to pursue the most promising avenue to find a cure and better treatments for diabetes. Unfortunately, today’s sense of hope will be shattered for the 20.8 million American children and adults with diabetes — and those who love and care for them — if President Bush vetoes this legislation.

“A veto — his first ever — would be a devastating setback for Americans who are affected by diabetes and other debilitating diseases. The President has a responsibility to the 70% of Americans who support embryonic stem cell research. This is a historic opportunity to advance scientific research and it shouldn’t be squandered,” Smith said.

I feel sorry for Mr. Smith and his daughter. Diabetes is no picnic —“ I know first hand. Still, is his daughter’s life worth more than another child’s life?

Max Boot, Senior Fellow for National Security Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) published an opinion piece, Let Israel Take Off the Gloves, calling on Israel to ignite the flames of war across the Middle East.

Mr. Boot relies on the over exaggerated capabilities of the Israeli Defense Forces (i.e., the cultural myth that Israel has been victorious in various wars against impossible odds). It isn’t 1967 or 1973 any longer. The U.S. is stretched a little thin and isn’t going to be able to cover Israel’s back. We have North Korea, Kosovo, Iraq, China, our own protection here at home, and many other hot spots to worry about.

His CFR bio notes that Mr. Boot has been called one of “the 500 most influential people in the United States in the field of foreign policy” which is scary.

A much more realistic analysis appears in the UPI. See: U.S., Israel face spreading war.

The UPI states:

No one appears to want a full-scale war between states to break out in the Middle East, with the possible exception of Iran’s firebrand President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Well, no, add Mr. Boot to that list.

There are people who want this. Mr. Boot and those like him will be back home armchair quarterbacking the deaths of million —“ including our own sons and daughters, all for the greater glory of themselves.

God save us from the Max Boots of the world.

* Sadly, Mr. Boot probably uses this as his regular moniker and would probably be proud of it.

Both the Young Fogey and Fr. Jim Tucker at Dappled Things have linked to reporting from If Americans Knew.

The site reports statistics on Israeli deaths and destruction in Israel as opposed to Palestinian deaths and destruction in the Palestinian territories.

Whenever I run across sites that comment on the Middle East I look to see who is behind them. Where do the numbers come from? How true/accurate are the numbers? Is there a political agenda? This is not an area of the world known for being the bastion of truthfulness.

I looked at If Americans Knew. At first the disparities shocked me. I was in my accountant mode, analyzing numbers, comparing columns, checking out the graphs. I was fascinated. Then the Holy Spirit gave me a kick and I said, ‘These are people.’ I was comparing who is more evil based on tallies of death and destruction. I saw the numbers, not the people.

I decided to look deeper. If Americans Knew seemed a little one-sided.

A quick Google search revealed a lot of opinions on the woman behind If Americans Knew, Alison Weir (NOT the British novelist). Most of the opinions were from campuses where she appeared and spoke. She was labeled everything from a raging anti-Semite to the bearer of all truth. No help there.

I looked at the wiki on If Americans Knew but it didn’t really analyze the credibility of the site.

I checked out The Middle East Now, The Middle East from a Secular View. Their site analysis, linked from Wikipedia, seemed pretty well balanced (albeit not perfectly so), pointing out both the truths in If Americans Knew and the wholesale and subtle distortions in their reporting.

There are subtle truths in every story. We have to move beyond the distance of a story to the truth of the matter. Evil people are deciding to kill other people on both sides. Both are being indiscriminant. They hope we won’t notice, they hope we won’t say no, never again.