“The Eye Of The Beholder:
WHO DECIDES?”

by Opal Elaine Moyer

     In mid-November, an article appeared in our local newspaper that caught my attention. The headline read, "Surgeons Prepare for First Face Transplants." This article outlined the complexity of the new technology of taking a dead persons face and placing it on to a living person. There are risks, as there is a chance that the immune system might reject the new face and anti-rejection medications could prove useless. Still, this is an awe striking accomplishment in the annals of medical science; it also creates a new hotbed of moral controversy. This procedure could help many disfigured individuals, where skin grafts and plastic surgery have failed. Others can see the use of another person's face as intrusive and wrong.

     Reading this article, it became evident to me the strides that medical science has taken. It also became increasingly obvious the reason why the American people are so divided on medically related issues, such as abortion, stem cell research, cloning, organ transplants, fertility and, now, face transplants. All of these are issues where there is division of opinion.



     With these advancements in medicine, there come decisions on how this technology should be used. Then, there are two sides to every issue. Abortion is one example. On one hand, should a woman be made to give birth to a child when it places her own life in jeopardy or have a child that is a product of rape or incest? On the other hand, a growing life is involved and would be terminated. Both sides give fair argument. This is the case with other such issues. Both sides have pros and cons; both have morally compelling reasons for their stand on the issue. This makes a final decision difficult when both sides are wrong AND right, and so, who is left to decide?