[fayeforcure]

She has lobbied lawmakers from Tallahassee to Washington, sometimes making unannounced visits. Recently, she dropped by the Palm Coast office of her representative, John Mica, R-Winter Park, hoping to share an article about the "political straitjacket" Bush and Congress have put researchers in.

Mica, a staunch opponent of federal funding for embryonic-stem-cell research, was not there, and she gave it to his aide.

But she spends most of her time behind the computer at her cluttered home south of Jacksonville, trying to reframe the language of the debate. She's a prolific letter writer, blogger, editor and major contributor to several pro-embryonic-stem-cell-research Web sites.

"I think it's controversial to oppose it. I actually think it's criminal," she said. "I have been called a baby killer many times, but to me the opponents are the ones killing the babies -- real babies with real diseases in need of real treatments -- not fertilized egg cells that are going to be thrown away. To me . . . we're recycling medical waste."

Armitage's passion and devotion to her son has landed her in jail twice -- once in 1998 for scuffling with a school resource officer over Jason's care in Kissimmee; the other in 2004 for yanking campaign signs for Bush and other GOP candidates from a busy intersection near her home. The charges were eventually dismissed, and she wears the arrests as badges of honor.

"Lots of good people have been arrested -- Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, to name a few," she said. "Obviously, I am not in their league, but this is the next civil-rights movement: the right to recover."

With his one clearly intelligible word -- "Mom!" -- Jason interrupts and indicates he's ready to wheel to his room and PlayStation, his great escape from his life of isolation. He plays it the same way he eats and drives his wheelchair: by gingerly maneuvering the only two movable fingers on his right hand. He also listens to rap music, watches Comedy Central and clearly interacts with a visitor.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-m...ge=2&track=rss

[paula_w]

That just might be a worthy idea Faye. We are competing with big pharmas' profits for treatments and being denied treatments because they are not money making. That, along with ESCR denial, sums up our potentially dismal future.

Have you started anything in this direction yet? Jailed twice eh? There's nothing a mother won't do for her son....good on you. Good article too! You have my email right?

Paula

[fayeforcure]

Originally Posted by paula_w

That just might be a worthy idea Faye. We are competing with big pharmas' profits for treatments and being denied treatments because they are not money making. That, along with ESCR denial, sums up our potentially dismal future.

Have you started anything in this direction yet? Jailed twice eh? There's nothing a mother won't do for her son....good on you. Good article too! You have my email right?

Paula

No you continue to be on my e-mail list but the e-mails keep getting returned to me.

[Thelma]

Faye if you are sending a sort of letter out would you put me on your list as well. Who knows maybe there is something i can do as well.

[fayeforcure]

Sure Thelma, will do!

[fayeforcure]

I just posted an entry at DailyKos about stem cell research.

If you are a dailykos member, please give it a recommend.

If you aren't a dailykos member you can still vote in the poll below the entry.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/3/13/12925/0814

Thanks