2nd SPEAKER AGAINST

2nd SPEAKER AGAINST REPRODUCTIVE CLONING

- I would like to begin by saying “NO” to this moot. Reproductive cloning IS NOT a good way forward for the evolution of humanity, it is a DANGEROUS WAY forward for the evolution on humanity...for us, for our evolution. Why? Because of the medical risks, the sense uniqueness of an individual, the impact on society...and some more arguments I will add later.

- But before that, I would like to comment some of the arguments that the members of the group for reproductive cloning argued.

- First of all, it was said that "reproductive cloning must be a right”, a right for infertile couples. The number of infertile couples who do not produce eggs or sperm AT ALL is very small nowadays and the trend is to be even smaller in the future. But even for the ones who can’t have a child there are solutions. One of them is the adoption, for example. It's the same for the lesbians and gays: if our society had already accepted them, if they were seen like the other couples, they could also opt for the adoption

- They also argued that a couple wants to have a child without bad genes; everyone wants it...however, there are certainly other ways to combat diseases, malformations, etc.

- Another claim they make was that parent’s physical expectations can be realistic – however, the children who will be born could change that kind of physical aspects when they are older and if they want. We already can change our body (by doing plastic surgeries), the colour of our eyes, etc. We don’t need reproductive cloning for that kind of things.

- Another thing the members pro-reproductive cloning argued was that with reproductive cloning A person can reborn - but we are human beings, we are born and we die; we have to adjust ourselves to the reality...and how about the new human beings/the clones who will be born? They will be born just to 'replace' someone. Could a child, for example, grow up without being emotionally affected in this situation? We don't think so.

- The human diversity was another argument they argued. And they talked about the elimination of diseases, but we argue that it’s not necessary to create a clone “just” to combat those diseases. But even if it was necessary, the diseases which the ‘new’ clone will have will be certainly much more the ones they will could cure.

- Well, as it was said, there is a numberless of medical risks in what concerns to reproductive cloning. We are playing with our specie, we are playing with ourselves, and it brings dangerous consequences. But it is not the only argument against reproductive cloning as we also saw. There are more things to say and I would like to add some more arguments to support our position against reproductive cloning.

1^st:

- The first one is related to the risk of abuse of the technology. Each one has its own purposes. And with reproductive cloning, each one would use the clones for its own purposes.

- As Dr Patrick Dixon (who published many successful articles, etc. against reproductive cloning) said: “What would Hitler have done with reproductive cloning if it existed in the 1940s?” Hitler is not here anymore...but there are also powerful leaders nowadays... Is it worth to take the risk?

- But we can also talk about an ordinary person, who can also abuse of the reproductive cloning technology by wanting a dog which has died, even a son, a daughter, a sister... But how could a society survive with the confusion which will be certainly installed if reproductive cloning goes ahead?

2^nd:

- Second, reproductive cloning see human beings as objects which can be designed and manufactured to have specific characteristics (not only some characteristics related to health but aesthetic characteristics such as the colour of eyes etc. etc. We are not as clay or as argil which can be manufactured and moulded out.

3^rd:

- And finally, I just want to talk about the psychological and emotional harms: If a child knows that he/she is the replica of his/her dead brother or sister, what would happen? Actually, he/she was born just to 'replace' a person. Would parents prefer to make a clone instead of adjusting themselves to the loss of their son/daughter? Could a child growing up without being emotionally affected in this situation? We don’t think so.

-Well, to finish, I would like to repeat once more: reproductive cloning is a DANGEROUS way forward for the evolution of humanity. We have to beware of what we are doing.

Raquel