"Cloning Human Embryos and Experimenting with Them and Killing Them is Wrong"

Editor's note. When South Carolina Citizens for Life (SCCL) held a press conference April 4, it's unlikely many reporters would have expected to hear the father of 11 children oppose human cloning that so-called "experts" insist may someday help this man living with multiple sclerosis (MS). But that's exactly what Laddie Gatling did.

Mr. Gatling joined with representatives of SCCL, the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina Christian Coalition, the South Carolina Baptist Convention, Lt. Gov. Bob Peeler, and Dr. Mark O 'Rourke at the State Capitol. In a calm but powerful manner, Mr. Gatling explained that as much as anyone he'd love to have a cure for MS, but not at the cost of harming others.

Good afternoon. My name is Laddie Gatling and I am one of approximately 300,000 people in the United States living with multiple sclerosis.

MS is a chronic, degenerative disease with no known cure. MS has a genetic component and I have 11 children who might benefit one day from research leading to a cure.

No one is more in favor of medical research to find a cure for MS than I am. But I don't believe in searching for a cure that involves harming another individual or sacrificing innocent human life.

Cloning human embryos and experimenting with them and killing them is wrong. There is no evidence whatsoever that this kind of experimentation promises a cure for MS or any other disease. Dr. O'Rourke addresses this issue thoroughly.

I am here with this group today to call on Senator Thurmond and Senator Hollings to ban human cloning and instead to support ethical medical research that respects all human life.

Thank you.