New York City health officials are investigating the death of a baby boy who died of herpes after a circumcision by Rabbi Yitzhok Fischer. Fischer carries the herpes virus and is believed to have infected two other infants while serving as a mohel. Under the Orthodox practice followed by Fischer, he actually uses his mouth to suck the blood from the infant’s penis when he cuts the foreskin.
Infants are particularly susceptible to the virus given their reduced immunity systems. Within ten days of the circumcision, one of twin boys died from the virus and another was infected.
The Book of Genesis stipulates circumcision as a defining mark for the descendants of Abraham: “Throughout all generations, every male shall be circumcised when he is eight days old…This shall be my covenant in your flesh, an eternal covenant. The uncircumcised male whose foreskin has not been circumcised, shall have his soul cut off from his people; he has broken my Covenant.” (Genesis 17:1-14)
Metzitzah b’peh (“suction by mouth”) is rarely used outside of the Haredi and Hasidic communities. Under this practice, the mohel spits the blood into a receptacle provided. While most mohelim rinse their mouths out with alcohol to sanitize them, alcohol may not kill the herpes virus.
This will make for some novel criminal and tort litigation. It is difficult to see how this shocking practice can be allowed as a public health matter. As a matter of torts, the families can clearly sue this rabbi for negligence with punitive damage potential. Indeed, I believe that there could would be a strong case for battery. The question will be reckless homicide and other criminal charges. Presumably, this rabbi knew he was a carrier and yet proceeded to use his mouth rather than the more common suction device.
For the full story, click here
Circumcision has few if any medical benefits. Any link between circumcision and the prevention of genital cancer is at best unproved. Circumcision is not only unnecessary but barbaric. It can cripple children, both physically and mentally, for their whole lives. And as for the motives behind circumcision, psychiatrists are agreed that they are irrational and punitive.
-THE UNKINDEST CUT OF ALL By John M. Foley, M.D.
Mike S. “Dare I say it but you seem somewhat obsessed with sexual organs. ”
Bob,Esq. “Domino doth protest too much. Perhaps he’s not as happy with his penis as Mike S.”
Ugly territory guys.
Bob, don’t open any doors to posts about Mike’s obvious pride in lil’ Mike, K? At least one snarky b++++ with a twisted sense of humor posting on this thread has shown MONUMENTAL restraint here regarding those postings by Mike ’cause she has the utmost respect for his opinions and tries not to take cheap shots. Of course, I would never, ever consider speaking for Domino or Patty C. or Jill. 🙂
—————
Patty C: “T vaginalis is both a sub-preputial and a urethral pathogen.”
Lady-bits are crevice and moisture rich areas that also can trap unwanted and vagrant pathogens but thorough and frequent washing with soap and water is the best defense against harboring (and passing them along) for both sexes.
“Despite the obviously irrational cruelty of circumcision, the profit incentive in American medical practice is unlikely to allow science or human rights principles to interrupt the highly lucrative American circumcision industry. It is now time for European medical associations to condemn the North American medical community for participating in and profiting from what is by any standard a senseless and barbaric sexual mutilation of innocent children.”
–Paul M. Fleiss, Circ Info Network
“Whatever is done to stop the terrible practice of circumcision will be of tremendous importance. There is no rational medical reason to support it. It is high time that such a barbaric practice comes to an end.”
–Dr. Frederick Leboyer, author, Birth Without Violence
CIRCUMCISION AS CHILD ABUSE: THE LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES
Journal of Family Law: University of Louisville School of Law
http://www.cirp.org/library/legal/brigman/
A committal hearing for charges of grievous bodily harm and unlawful wounding was scheduled in Bundaberg yesterday against a father who forced his two sons to undergo circumcision during an access visit to his family home last year. The father, of Muslim faith, arranged for his sons aged 5 and 9 to be circumcised for nonmedical reasons. This was against the expressed wishes of their mother;
“Being of indigenous Australian descent I understand the importance of freedom of personal beliefs in a multicultural society.”
“I believe my sons have a right to grow into adult men with intact bodies and choose their own religious and other beliefs; I am devastated that the father has stolen that opportunity away from my boys”
http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/1380.htm
Domino doth protest too much.
Perhaps he’s not as happy with his penis as Mike S.
A Bill to End Male Genital Mutilation in the U.S.
Resubmitted to Congress and 13 State Legislatures on January 12, 2009
http://www.mgmbill.org/
One purpose of the Jewish Circumcision Resource Center is to make known to the Jewish community that there is a growing number of Jews who either have not circumcised their son or would choose not to circumcise a future son. It is an opportunity for Jews who take this position to declare themselves and to be counted.
http://www.jewishcircumcision.org/
Foundational Philosophy of Attorneys for the Rights of the Child
http://www.arclaw.org/
A number of human rights documents appear to forbid infant male circumcision based on such important principles as the right to physical integrity, the right to freedom of religion, the right to the highest attainable standard of health, and the right to protection against torture. These documents bind the United States, either through our direct ratification of the treaty or under principles of customary international law. The many laws against female genital mutilation, contrasted with the discriminatory nature of excusing and tacitly condoning male genital mutilation, violate principles of equal protection under both international human rights law and American constitutional doctrines.
Our own cultural blindness must not be allowed to warp American law by insulating perpetrators of circumcision from liability under a broad range of legal theories. By understanding the medical and psychological harm caused by circumcision and by positioning ourselves to enforce the legal and human rights guarantees of physical integrity and self-determination, we can work for the best interests of children, by guaranteeing them equal protection under the law.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKCQIVC4rwg
John D. Geisheker, J.D., LL.M., Executive Director of Doctors Opposing Circumcision (D.O.C.) speaks of his personal experience with circumcision and events that led to dedicating his life to ending forced circumcision of infants and children. In the first of a series of interviews, Geisheker discusses the ethical and legal concerns around performing unnecessary genital surgery on infants and children.
Geeze and I agree with Mike S. Come on you guys get over it and if you can’t go to a support group. This is kinda a lot for something that most males do not care about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8szj1jFCWM&feature=related
William Stowell talks about his successful circumcision lawsuit, against the doctor and hospital (that circumcised him as a baby), marching for genital integrity and inspiring others to get involved.
Secular circumcision is every bit as barbarous.
CEJ,
Ain’t it?
you kinda gotta know something about these communities and their slavish devotion to creating more ritual around ritual to protect the commandments. what seems insane, ridiculous, unnatural, weird, to non Jews is just embarrassing to those of us who have some scope of Jewish belief and practice.
for a while there was a mohel who had parkinsons and still performed circumcisions. at the end of the day, religious observance is particular to those to adhere to it and generally does no harm.
consider the christians who play with rattle snakes.
they have theirs. we have ours.
and yes, any adult who has a viral infection and purposely exposes another human to it, let alone an infant, should be prosecuted. i wonder though, whether parents of these children would pursue this. They tend to be very private and protective of their community.
Gyges:
“I have both a penis and a dictionary, and I appreciate your concern for both.”
Well said, ROFLMAO.
Domino:
as a man I too appreciate your concern, from your posts I will assume that bald avengers are not your cup of tea, shall we say.
“How can you argue with “A few years ago, a Jewish representative, whose name and exact quote I cannot recall, said something to the effect that his first priority was to defend the rights of Israel?”
Gyges,
I can’t and won’t argue with it. Waste of time and effort.
“Me: All I know is that white people of Anglo Saxon/Scandanavian heritage are far more powerful in this country, than their percentage of the population calls for and I suspect you don’t find that bothersome.”
“spirit of mountain,
“I am not an Anglo-Saxon, Scandinavian,”
How can you discuss/argue with/debate someone who doesn’t get what you’re writing about? I have no idea what her/his ethnicity is, but it does seem strange that he specifically cites Jews as an ethnicity/religion with power out of proportion to their numbers.
We must remember, however, that:
“nor am I racist. ( I hate racists) I value diversity greatly and immerse myself in different cultures and associate with and have friends from so many backgrounds. Perhaps once you evolve from that line of thinking, and become a little less defensive, then you might be able to understand my perspective better.”
That is so comforting to hear from him and takes all the sting out of:
“Jews are disporpotionately presented in positions of power and control, such as media & politics. Americans are sleeping.”
After all maybe he/she was writing that late at night so was just referring to the fact that most of the country was asleep. I don’t think this person is consciously anti-Jewish
any more that Trent Lott was a conscious racist, that, however, offers she/he little excuse.
“That being said, I sincerely hope you’ve reconsidered lumping Domino in with this guy.”
Gyges look back at all my posts on this thread and show me where I lumped Domino in with anyone, called her/him names, or even called he/she anti-Jewish. I haven’t. did I get mildly ironic at times, sure, but I quite understand that this is an issue Domino feels strongly about and most probably not from a sense of bigotry. However, I do take exception to her calling my children barbarous, because my grandson is circumcised and my ethnicity barbarous as well.
Those were her/his “fighting words” but I eschewed attacking
him/her personally, while i did disparage the arguments put forth.
“Domino,
Barbarous:
▸ adjective: (of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering (”A barbarous crime”)
▸ adjective: primitive in customs and culture”
While the definitions are correct, the smugness behind her/him’s use of the word is to me annoying. Especially the second meaning. In my mind those who might look at Australian
Aboriginals, South Sea Islanders and Native Americans from the vision of cultural superiority that they were viewed in European terms bespoke a sense of grandeur undeserved. Domino
seems to also look down as if from on high, with her/his perch giving the right to judge others. That to me bespeaks a limited range of perspective.
Mike S.,
I saw that sophisticated attack against Mike A. and immediately agreed with it, almost. Comparing Mike A. to mashed grain is giving him TOO much credit. Other than that, great observation by a real patriot!