Children = Hybrid Corn

Selecting a topic for this post was not the easiest thing to do. As I re-read through the list of suggestions, I saw one that was intriguing; Embryos. Not from the poster point of view, but from a different one. In the dairy industry, Embryos and Embryo Transfers (ET's) are an extremely common practice. My dad works for a dairy genetics company, and part of his job is to consult with farmers and help them decide if they would like to invest in ET's for their nice cattle.   And right there is the thing- NICE cattle. Usually farmers do not to ET work with animals that do not seem "worth while." Here lies my position on the embryo debate. For me its a normal part of life, and honestly I don't have a problem with using it for humans. From my perspective ET work is a way to preserve good families.  Its a positive thing for the community I am involved in. 

In the the medical world, embryos can be used for much more than multiple babies with the same genes. Embryos can be used to create the "perfect" child. Whether that be a sister that could cure cancer with a perfect bone marrow match or the most beautiful baby.  The possibilities are endless when people begin to play  with the conception process.  And humans have taken these processes to the next level. While most farmers are pro- embryo work for their animals, they are often anti-embryo work for humans.

 In a broad sense, the very conservative nature of the community I grew up in can contradict its self quite easily. They choose to separate their animals and the people they know, but how different are we? Technically we are all mammals, and from a Darwin-like point of view, we all evolved in similar ways. If someone believes that it is OK to give their cattle the upper-hand before they are even born, why should children not have the same benefit? If this kind of technology can help prevent birth defects why should we not support it?  It's difficult to say where to draw the line. Christian folks will say that children should be conceived naturally, without special selection.  More scientific people will believe that new technologies will help our upcoming youth be healthier and live longer, like hybrid corn or beans.