FOR IMMEDIATE NATIONAL RELEASE Thursday, August 4, 2005 Contact: Michael Huttner Executive Director 303-991-1900 michael@progressnow.org Call for Dobson to apologize for using Nazi atrocities for political gain DENVER -- ProgressNow.org, a national grassroots organization based in Colorado, called on James Dobson, head of Focus on the Family, to apologize for yesterday's comparison of stem cell research to Nazi experiments conducted on victims of the Holocaust. "We call on Dobson to immediately apologize for using Nazi atrocities for his personal political gain," stated Michael Huttner, Executive Director of ProgressNow.org. In his August 3 Focus on the Family radio broadcast, transcribed below, Dobson compared stem cell research to Nazi experiments conducted on the victims of the Holocaust. "I cannot believe that Dobson would ever compare the research of stem cells to anything related to what Hitler did during his reign," stated Jan Dowker of Lakewood whose mother died last year after suffering from Parkinson's disease for fifteen years. "His statement to stop this research is an affront to all of our loved ones." Dobson also suggested that the Nazis' experimentation in concentration camps likely resulted in discoveries that "benefited mankind." Dobson noted that "if you wanted to take the time to read about it, there would have been some discoveries there that benefited mankind." "This statement shows a disregard for the suffering of those individuals who could be assisted by this research," stated Dr. Laura Haupenthal of Englewood. "Mr. Dobson should apologize for his inaccurate and insensitive comments." Dobson also implied that physicians who support such research have the "ethics and morality" of doctors in Nazi Germany. Dobson noted those doctors who support stem cell research such as Senator Frist (R-TN) are removing "ethics and morality" and will cause "what happened in Nazi Germany." "To compare Senator Frist's efforts to save thousands of lives to victims who were tortured by the Nazis is an affront to the Jewish Community," noted Rabbi Steven Foster of Denver. "I believe Dobson ought to apologize to the Jewish Community as well as to all people who he has affronted by this offensive statement." --- Focus on the Family Radio Broadcast, Wednesday, August 3, 2005: DOBSON: You know, the thing that means so much to me here on this issue (embryonic stem cell research) is that people talk about the potential for good that can come from destroying these little embryos and how we might be able to solve the problem of juvenile diabetes. There's no indication yet that they're gonna do that, but people say that, or spinal cord injuries or such things. But I have to ask this question: In World War II, the Nazis experimented on human beings in horrible ways in the concentration camps, and I imagine, if you wanted to take the time to read about it, there would have been some discoveries there that benefited mankind. You know, if you take a utilitarian approach, that if something results in good, then it is good. But that's obviously not true. We condemn what the Nazis did because there are some things that we always could do but we haven't done, because science always has to be guided by ethics and by morality. And you remove ethics and morality, and you get what happened in Nazi Germany. That's why to Senator (Senate Majority Leader Bill) Frist (R-TN) and the others who are saying, "Look what may be accomplished." Yeah, but there's another issue, there's a higher order of ethics here. Listen to the clip here: http://mediamatters.org/items/200508030007 # # # ProgressNow.Org is a nonpartisan, national grassroots organization whose mission is to be a strong credible voice in advancing progressive solutions to critical community problems. For an interview, quotes or sources, call Michael Huttner at 303-991-1900. UPDATE: sign your name to a statement calling on Dobson to apologize: http://www.progressnow.org/apologize