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A comment on Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation in Human Embryos. Parent comment

Re:Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation in Human Embryos by Digit-Al on Thursday August 03, 2017 @04:42AM (#14917948)
Here's one I find interesting. There is always talk of choosing for white, or lighter, skin, but what about the other side of the coin. Tanning is a huge business. Large numbers of white skinned people try to get a tan whilst on holiday, or use tanning salons. Large numbers of white people bemoan their inability to get a decent tan. What if lots of white people were to choose to have light brown children so that they would find it much easier to get a decent tan?

Another point of discussion: in the article there was talk of de-valuing disabled people. But surely the point of all this is to eliminate disability - if possible. Can anyone give any reason why this would be considered a bad thing? I'm not talking about devaluing existing disabled people (although evidence seems to suggest that we barely value them as people at the moment, though things are gradually improving). But surely anyone given the choice of being born with a disability or being born without the disability would choose the latter?

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Re:Scientists Edit a Dangerous Mutation in Human Embryos by komali2 on Thursday August 03, 2017 @01:40PM (#14921793)
>we barely value them as people at the moment

I don't agree with that, violating ADA specifications is a sure fire way to be slapped across the face with massive fines and lawsuits, and every school I've attended bent over backwards to facilitate the disabled. Were there some cases or general biases you meant that I can read about?

Regarding your light vs dark skin, it would be an interesting question - if the laws allowed for "form" choices rather than purely "function," what sort of different kinds of children would we see from different cultures? Taller, tanner, blonder women from Sweden? Stouter, tanner, thicker men from America? Thinner, whiter, effeminate men from Taiwan? It'd be interesting if nothing else.

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