April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
EDITORIALS

Not a knock-out; Buying life

Editorials



Not a knock-out

Here's an easy one - mixed martial arts, no thanks. Despite its gruesome reputation and brutal reality, "ultimate fighting," as it is called, is moving toward legalization in the New York State Legislature. 

The proposal is backed by powerful sports and gambling interests. These claim that Ultimate Fighting Champion-ship events in New York would have a significant economic impact and bring in considerable amounts in county sales taxes. A lonely member of the Assembly, Bob Reilly, has staged a losing crusade to stop the proposal. 

"Violence begets violence," he has intoned, quite rightly. The no-holds-barred competition can only coarsen our culture, already staggering under the weight of actual violence as well as graphic TV shows, movies and internet videos. 

"If someone has led you to believe this is nothing more than enhanced boxing, 'real' wrestling, or karate and judo like your kids may be learning at the community center, you have been duped," Richard Barnes, executive director of the state Catholic Conference, wrote in a letter to legislators after watching some rounds. 

"The 'ultimate fight' victory involves punching and kicking the opponent into unconsciousness, or by choking (the so-called 'submission hold'), with the same result." He observed elbow blows to the head, knees to the groin and head, kidney punches and lots of blood, all evoking wild cheers from crowds and announcers.

In New York, its legalization is seen by some as a means to bring in tax and gambling revenues to depressed regions. 

Hence, it was approved or reported out of the Assembly's Committee on Tourism, Arts, Parks and Sports Development on a 14-6 vote. The bill to have the sport regulated by the state athletic commission is likely to be considered by the full Assembly later this session. 

Local Assemblyman Jack McEneny, who joined Reilly in opposition, said members who approved it were under "tremendous pressure" from constituents in hard-pressed areas who see the sport as another source of revenue - like the lottery, we suppose, or gambling or other legalized vices. All of these prey, most often, on the poor and those seeking - out of desperation - a quick payout. 

Instead of telling the rabble to eat cake, here legislators and others are saying, "Let them maul each other and pay to watch." The sport contradicts human dignity and its mere consideration as a solution to tough times insults all of us, especially those most in need. 

 Buying life

Last week, the Empire State Stem Cell Board authorized using state funds to reimburse women who have their eggs extracted for research. Naturally, those most likely to submit to this unethical activity, the sale of half a potential life, would be women of low income and high need. 

Apparently no other state allows the sale of human eggs for research, and the Church has long opposed all such sales regardless of the purpose. 

In this case, the eggs would be bought in order to clone human embryos, which later will be destroyed for their stem cells. This despite the mounting evidence that the most promising advances have and will be made using adult stem cells and the reprogrammed skin cells.

More than a century ago, the suffragettes of upstate New York made their mark by opposing the treatment of women as commodities. Would that their eloquent outrage be heard again. 
(06/18/09) [[In-content Ad]]

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