Letters: Mar. 31, 1997

THE CLONING BREAKTHROUGH

Even if the basic scientific procedure of creating mammals from cells that are not embryonic can be easily mastered, the routine cloning of humans is still a long way off [SPECIAL REPORT, March 10]. Using the reproductive procedure that produced embryologist Ian Wilmut's lamb Dolly requires dozens of surrogate mothers. The work of Wilmut and his colleagues is a great step toward understanding important fundamental biological processes, and it does raise serious ethical issues, but don't belittle the scientific effort by calling it "easy." JENNI HARIKRISHNA Kuala Lumpur

We shouldn't hastily ban human cloning. Nature clones us--look at identical twins. Shall we ban them? No! Go ahead--send in the clones. TITUS STAUFFER Houston

What a concept: Farmers cloning their best milk cows and ranchers replicating their best wool producers. Why not clone our best laborers so we can produce a group of subhuman slaves? And how about fighting our wars with literally thousands of Rambo-like killing machines? If they are wiped out, no loss--we can just make more! Maybe, eventually, we can use cloning to create a whole new race of superpeople with a pure conformity of mind and body. God have mercy on us all! STEVE BLACK Dallas

Those who oppose cloning and other forms of genetic engineering should take into account that nature and evolution have permitted humans to reach the level of intelligence necessary for genetic engineering. Is it not natural, then, for us to explore its potential? Perhaps it is time for nature to pass the torch of biological control to the hands of humans. BRIAN HOUSE, age 17 Denver

The benefits of cloning technology may be great, but the potential for misuse is beyond frightening. How long before every petty dictator, multimillionaire industrialist, king, queen and drug lord has a clone or two made of himself or herself, then raised in confinement, so that when a heart, lung or kidney gives out, a spare is just a phone call away? How much further will this cheapen human life? STEVE GONTO Savannah, Georgia

Clones have been around for some time. They act alike, dress alike and talk alike. Same mannerisms, same expressions, and following the same trends--just like sheep. They're called yuppies. CHARLOTTE WEBB Redding, Connecticut

Hello, Dolly, brave new ovine; art thou a wolf in sheep's cloning? DENISE KEENEY BODEY Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

You mentioned cell biologist Ursula Goodenough's quip that if cloning were perfected, "there'd be no need for men." If your article had been written by Jorge Luis Borges, Annie Proulx, Thomas Pynchon or another author with a penchant for serendipitous character names, I'd know for certain that "Goodenough" was herself a clone. JONATHAN BRENNER BALKIND London

WHERE THE DIFFERENCE LIES

Robert Wright's otherwise excellent article "Can Souls Be Xeroxed?" [SPECIAL REPORT, March 10] stated that humans share "99.9%" of the same genetic code. But two car keys can be 99.9% identical and yet one may start up a VW and the other a Mercedes. It's not the amount of difference, it's where the difference lies. ROB VERMEULEN Redwood City, California

IF WE EVER DUPLICATE EINSTEIN...