Petition Circulator Stories

Beth K.'s experience:

I was at the post office on 3 Mile NE in early spring and was approached by a man asking me if I was against embryonic stem cell research. I said yes I was and he asked me to sign his petition to ban embryonic stem cell research. I commented that I thought that was already the case and he answered that the ban was going to expire and that we needed this to keep it in place. I was mailing college boxes from our parish and I didn't take the time to read it. Also I asked him point blank if this was to ban the use of embryonic stem cells and he answered "yes". HE FLAT OUT LIED TO ME! My husband and I are traveling to Mexico so he can receive cord blood stem cell treatment for his MS. We would never approve of using embryos for research and it makes me sick that I may have put my name on this petition.

Judy W.'s experience:
While at a festival Sunday my husband, who had a brain injury 15 years ago and thus has cognitive deficits, was approached by three women with the [embryonic stem cell] petition. When I returned he was in the process of signing the petition so I quickly stopped him and began questioning these women. They seemed a bit shocked that I would ask about it and that I was stopping my husband from signing. They asked why he couldn't make the decision to sign and I explained the brain injury. Then they tried to say that this research might help him. I disputed this and said that I'm all for the use of adult stem cells but am not convinced about embryonic research. They didn't seem to be able to explain who was pushing this petition drive and only pointed me to read the paperwork which said nothing and they had no brochures or identity about who they were representing. It all seemed very "fishy" to me.

David M.'s experience:

Recently, as I was taking a walk to my local library in Grand Rapids, I was approached by two women who asked if I would sign their petition. “Petition for what?,” I asked. “Stem cell research,” they responded. When I asked “what kind of stem cell research?,” I was shown a copy of a Grand Rapids Press article on Kadi DeHaan, a young woman who suffered a spinal cord injury. I was told by the women collecting signatures that embryonic stem cells were used to treat her. THAT'S A LIE. I’m familiar with Kadi’s story and I knew her improvement was due to strenuous physical therapy along with trips to Russia for injections of her own adult stem cells, not embryonic. Embryonic stem cells have never successfully been used to treat any human patient.

Jack S.'s experience:

On June 25th, at the Meijers gas station in Midland, I was approached to sign a petition for stem cell research. When I asked if this involved embryonic stem cells, the woman said it only would allow the use of frozen eggs from fertility clinics . Then I said that would involve killing human embryos, which mean the destruction of human life. When I objected to that she lost interest in further discussion and went to the next person.

Pat S.'s experience:

I was at a grocery store and I noticed a young man asking an older lady to sign a petition. He came over and asked if I would like to sign a petition on stem cell research. He never mentioned the word embryonic. I asked him if it was embryonic stem cells and he replied “yes.” I continued telling him that there have been no cures with embryonic stem cells but that there has been much progress with adult stem cell research. He told me that the petition is for loosening up the restrictions and to use embryos that were "expired" and thrown away anyway. I know that when I watched the first lady sign the petition that she had no clue that it was for using embryos for research.

Chris G.'s experience:

Last Wednesday at the Obama rally I was approached by several people circulating the proposed constitutional amendment. One in particular said that the petition would help give cures to people, and that embryonic stem cell research treated Kadi DeHaan from Byron Center. Kadi had a spinal cord injury and was treated in Russia. In fact, it was Kadi's own adult stem cells which treated her, not embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells currently treat dozens of conditions and research is ongoing. Embryonic stem cells have yet to treat a single person; no human trials are going on now. The circulator, who had a copy of Kadi's story with him, reread it and acknowledged his error. He then asked me to sign the other petitions he was circulating.

Nina C.'s experience:
I was at the Secretary of State in Livonia this past Saturday with hundreds of other people. We were all waiting in line. A man was there collecting signatures. When he got near me, I asked what the petition was for and he said stem cells. (Not true, the petition is about embryonic stem cells only, not adult stem cells). Someone else asked why they need stem cells and he said to cure heart disease and other diseases. I said you have to kill an innocent human every time you remove the embryonic stem cells. He then said the embryos were just going to be wasted and would be thrown out anyway. I told him parents of frozen embryos have many options, including embryo adoption. I had to stay in line, so the collector just moved beyond my speaking range.

Have you been approached to sign a stem cell petition? Share your story .