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Gibson lashes out at Schwarzenegger's stem cell proposal on Good Morning America

World Entertainment News Network

Posted October 28 2004

Mel Gibson has lashed out at Arnold Schwarzenegger's backing of a new plan to have California taxpayers fund embryonic stem cell research.

The devout Catholic, whose movie The Passion Of The Christ attracted both hordes of cash and a barrage of controversy, is strongly against the proposition, and he took his cause to TV show Good Morning America Thursday.

"I'm very concerned with the stem cell question. I'm for stem cell research. I think it can do a lot of good. When I heard about a Proposition 71 to promote stem cell research I was overjoyed because it can do so much good," Gibson said.

"But then I began to look further into the proposition and I found that the cloning of human embryos will be used in the process and I have an ethical problem with that. Why do I, as a taxpayer, have to fund something I believe is unethical?"

"Adult stem cell research, I'm all for it. I'll give my own stem cells to somebody if they want. But I can't condone this. (My religion) ties into it, of course."

"I called Governor Schwarzenegger last night to talk about this very issue and I think he's doing a great job in California... he's doing so many cool things. (But) it seems he wants to rush this issue. I wanted to ask him a few questions about it, particularly the cloning of human embryo aspect of it."

"I called him, when we got to that point, he said, 'Well, I'm very busy now. I'll call you back. I've gotta make a speech. I'll call you right back.'"

"Well, Arnold, I'm still waiting for your call," Gibson said.

Brad Pitt, Michael J. Fox and late actor Christopher Reeve are among the Hollywood stars who have backed the proposition.

Copyright 2004, Sun-Sentinel Co. & South Florida Interactive, Inc.

http://www.southflorida.com/news/sfl-rgswnvcm11oct28,0,2146568.story?coll=sfe-news-wire

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Gibson versus Governator

October 29, 2004 - 10:20AM

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger expressed disbelief today that Mel Gibson thought the governor all but hung up on him when the The Passion of the Christ director called to talk about embryonic stem-cell research.

The Republican governor of California is supporting a state ballot initiative to sell $US3 billion ($A4.04 billion) in bonds to finance stem-cell research, putting him at odds with President George W Bush's administration, which limits federal funding for similar studies.

Gibson told ABC TV's Good Morning America that he has an "ethical problem" with the research and had called the governor Wednesday night to talk about it.

But when Gibson reached Schwarzenegger, he said the governor told him he had to make a speech and would call him back.

"Well, Arnold, I'm still waiting for your call," Gibson said.

Schwarzenegger appeared puzzled.

"I don't know what this was all about," the governor said in Los Angeles.

"I did talk to him for several minutes and explained to him what my position was on" the stem-cell proposal, the governor said. Schwarzenegger said he had to cut short the call because he had to give a speech in San Diego.

"After that, I called back at 9 o'clock and left a message on his phone," Schwarzenegger said. "He hasn't returned my call."

Gibson, a Roman Catholic, as is the governor, said that when he first heard about the proposition, he was overjoyed but later changed his mind. Gibson said he had no faith in the cloning of human embryos but would support the use of adult stem cells.

"I found that the cloning of human embryos will be used in the process and that, for me, I have an ethical problem with that," he said. "Why do I, as a taxpayer, have to fund something I believe is unethical?"

Earlier in the week, actor Brad Pitt voiced support of the measure.

"We have to make sure that we open up these avenues so that our best and our brightest can go find these cures that they believe they will find," the actor said. "Proposition 71 accomplishes this."

- AP

Copyright © 2004. The Age Company Ltd.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/10/29/1098992274738.html

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[F6 note -- in addition to the post to which this post is a reply and preceding, see also http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=4420159 and preceding -- and as for Mel 'Mad Max' Gibson, see also (e.g.)
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=2345378 ,
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=2427593 ,
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=2537542 ,
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=2560961 ,
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=2789846 , and, last but definitely not least,
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=2790077 ]