Scary

Again from Andrew Sullivan, some comments on cloning Neanderthals. This is the worst:

"If we could really do it and we know we are doing it right, I'm actually for it," says Lahn [who studies the evolutionary history of the genes that control human brain development at the University of Chicago]. "Not to understate the problem of that person living in an environment where they might not fit in. So, if we could also create their habitat and create a bunch of them, that would be a different story."

These are people you're talking about, Mr. U of C Professor. Human beings. OK -- this is a quote and I don't have the full context, but the implications of a statement like that are stupefying and make this guy look like the worst kind of mad scientist.

It's not even the issue of playing god that bothers me so much as the complete lack of sensitivity to consequences -- because there are always consequences, and in the case of something like "creating" a group of people to study them, the consequences are pretty much unknowable. Right off the top of my head, if you think we have problems with race in this country now, what about when you stir Neanderthals into the mix? (And don't think there aren't going to be those who will point to them as demonstrably "inferior.") Do they get citizenship? The vote? Are they going to go out into the world, or remain in a sort of zoo for their entire lives? What if one of them is gay? (I couldn't help but think of that.)

I'm pretty much aghast at the level of thinking displayed here.