My home state of Missouri is in the midst of a campaign to prevent the state legislature from curtailing stem cell research. Proponents of this research are pushing an amendment to the state constitution granting a sort of "right" to do stem-cell research, within Federal guidelines. Article here, portions below.

Proponents of Missouri constitutional amendment to protect embryonic stem cell research have broken every record on political spending for statewide races, with one billionaire couple bankrolling nearly all of the $28.7 million campaign.
. . .

The Nov. 7 vote asks voters to amend the Missouri constitution to protect all forms of stem cell research that are legal under federal law. The measure would limit the Legislature's ability to regulate controversial forms of embryonic stem cell research.

My thoughts below.

First, my position on embryonic stem-cell research is the same as my position against abortion. As I have argued in an earlier post, I think the burden of proof is on those who would perform abortions, or perform embronic research, to prove that they are not killing innocent human life. Such proof has not been forthcoming.

Second, I as I have argued before, I believe that humans are special and distinct from other animals. This position underlies my opposition to the commodification of human beings. That is, treating humans simply as goods to be bought and sold. I believe that humans should not be treated merely as means to ends. Embryonic experimentation so treats human embros.

Third, as I have stated before, when we become willing to do literally anything to live, then we have ceased to be worthy of life ourselves.