By: Noor Mohamed
Day two of the Texas Youth and Government (TXYG) conference and State of Affairs (SAF) has moved to debate their most pressing proposals.
Proposal 5 entitled Spread information, awareness, and funds to make genetically engineered babies a viable and available option to the general public authored by Emma Brunk has become one of the most debatable proposals to arise due to the extreme difference in opinion about the way America will handle human life.
Brunk proposed to implement clinical trials of in-vitro fertilization for willing patients through avenues such as Planned Parenthood to increase accessibility to Texas residents so that Mendelian diseases may decrease and its delegates may follow healthier lifestyles.
Brunk introduced her proposal by reiterating the focus on the implementation of this fertilization to combat and cure mendelian diseases. She noted that “70% of us die this way either way. It is not a death sentence, but rather a life sentence the second you become diagnosed.” She continued to allude that this process in the simplest of terms is like a switch. The fertilization detects the Mendelian disease in the DNA of the egg and only needs to combat 1 cell to reverse the detected disease.
Brunk made compelling arguments that had every ear listening as she emphasized that through the use of Planned Parenthood this would, in turn, be accessible to all woman, especially those from low-income communities.
Despite the positives Brunk highlighted, Delegate Hanes strongly urged the SAF delegation to vote negation as “It is all good and well to want to cure diseases. However, children indeed are born differently, but they are still full-fledged 100 percent legitimate members of our society and should, therefore, be treated as such, not as a glitch in genetic makeup.” Delegate Hanes appealed to the ethical morality of the room causing many to reconsider their support of this proposal.
In contrast Delegates Harris and Taylor both made final arguments in support of this proposal during their Pro Final Preliminary discourse. Delegate Harris tied it back to the expected outcome of this proposal to implement a change for a healthier lifestyle amongst Texas residents by mentioning “This gentic modification is like therapy. It’s curing diseases so our people can live better lives.” Delegate Taylor’s final comments were in response to a question that arised earlier. Taylor states that “This fertilization is not abortion. It is the removal of Mendelian diseases in unborn fetus’ DNA so they can enter this world to live better lives. Abortion is illegal and this is not abortion.”
Stern looks on everyone’s faces makes it hard for Brunk to read the judgment of the room. In hopes that her fellow delegates have been swayed, she makes three final points to close this proposal: this is economically feasible, it will be accessible to all, and this cures disabilities.
The chair moves to an immediate vote and the delegation has been swayed, this proposal passes.