How to be Respectful of Privileged Cells

Kassoid Eric Cohen pipes up predictably on stem cells in the LA Times:

"This brings us to the heart of the matter - the human embryo. These "clumps of cells" and the powers of development that make them useful to researchers are also reasons to accord them profound respect. These embryos are microscopic - but size should not determine their fate. They lack higher consciousness, but consciousness should not be the exclusive determinant of humanness; otherwise, we'd treat whole classes of living people as less than human."

Do please explain to me again, Mr. Cohen, just why it accords so much profounder a respect for this "clump of cells" that so preoccupies your attention to throw IVF "embryos" into a trash can -- as routinely happens now without your protesting it (knowing full well you have already decisively lost that battle) -- than it is to extract from them stem cells that might ultimately save the lives or at any rate ameliorate the suffering of countless fully-fledged living people struggling with Parkinson's Disease and a host of other devastating medical conditions here and now? Who is it exactly that is treating "whole classes of living people as less than" others, here, Mr. Cohen? Yes, we have indeed arrived at "the heart of the matter."