Sarah Palin has mocked medical research involving fruit flies in her attempt to convince us that she is stepping up to help special needs children. This is mind-blowingly stupid. This race should be 90 to 10 Obama, but somehow America’s ultraconservatives cling to Palin despite her proud lack of curiosity.
Not surprising that positions like this would come from someone like Palin, who veers toward Christian Nationalism (or who might BE a Christian Nationalist–who know, since she won't sit for a press conference.)
Extreme Christian Nationalists not only believe that the United States was founded as a Christian nation but that its institutions should be run entirely by fundamentalist or evangelical Christians. They believe they have a mandate to purge our institutions of "humanists" who believe that humans are in control of their own destiny, progressive Christians and non-Christians. They believe there are seven areas of society that must be controlled, the so-called Seven Mountains Strategy: church, family, education, government and law, media, arts and entertainment and business.
http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/567096.html
Ironically, both Palin and McCain have recently supported cutbacks in their respective budget activities for aid to children with special needs. I guess if someone else is willing to spend some $100-200,000.00 on you and your family, you don't need any state or federal assistance.
As a parent of a special needs child, I can say that, in the entire 15 years since my old son was born, special needs children and their families area generally treated with contempt by the political powers that be.
My oldest son is severely autistic. So far, research in the US concerning the cause of autism, is a joke. The reseach is focused on trying to prove a genetic cause of the disorder, rather than working to understand the pathology behind the symptoms. In countries where the medical research is controlled by phramaceutical companiies, any research that may hint at a vaccine involvement is activelty discouraged. Simply put, the blame is placed on the parents, by claiming they are genetically inferior, and then the research is directed to prove this prejudicial opinion.
So far the only significant genetic marker found relates to the CD46 immune system component, which is part ot the immune system that triggers antigne production agaist paramyxovirus infections including measles, mumps, pneumonia, and RSV.
In the US, much of the medical research at universities is funded in part or in entirety by pharmaceutical companies. The means a lot of money going to the school from private sources, and often matching funds from government sources. These companies can, and often do, drop sponsorhip of a school if they find the research does not promote their business interests.
I not too surprised that palin doesn't support research.