by Jill Stanek
I realize dissecting the topic of human cloning may be tough for my mainstream media friends, but really, the following are displays of terrible journalism regarding the state Senate's passage of a human embryonic stem cell/human cloning experimentation bill last week.
Chicago Tribune reporters Ray Long and Rick Pearson reported this on Feb. 23:
The bill also would outlaw human cloning.
Chicago Sun-Times reporter Dave McKinney said this Feb. 24:
Schoenberg's legislation would... ban human cloning.
In the State Journal-Register on Feb. 22, Dana Heupel reported:
Legislation advancing Wednesday in the Illinois Senate would promote research into all types of stem cells - including embryonic - while banning human cloning.
These reporters are taking the bill sponsors' word for it, which is sloppy if not slanted. Easily spotted on page 1 of the bill, lines 10-11, is that "somatic cell nuclear transplantation" will be permitted.
All one has to do is google "somatic cell nuclear transplantation" and "cloning" to see almost 1 million sources explaining they are one and the same.