Why is Hollywood hot for circumcision?

Submitted by anthony on Fri, 2010-05-07 17:53

Article here. Excerpt:

'News of Sandra Bullock’s choice to have her adopted son circumcised has tickled the Jewish media: Isn’t it cool that non-Jews are getting their kids circumcised, too? And not just the snip-n-clip way, but the Jewish way, with a mohel.

What makes it more interesting, though, is that a high-profile celeb like Bullock is taking up the ritual during a period of sharp decline. According to a 2008 L.A. Times article, ritual circumcision of American boys dropped from 85% in 1965 to 56% in 2005. Unless performed for religious reasons, the story said, many parents chose to opt out because of questionable medical benefits and the stigma of genital mutilation. Then came a startling new development when a study out of Africa found that circumcised males were “51% to 60% less likely to acquire HIV from heterosexual vaginal sex with an infected woman.”'

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Comments

The bigotry from Jews and non-Jews alike in those comments (use of the word "goyim" is patently offensive) is amazing. I am pretty sure we may never be able to talk about circumcision to observant Jews (or maybe not-so-observant ones) without getting less than 2 minutes into the conversation before accusations of some kind of racism sprout up.

So of course, what happens? People who feel they are getting the bigot treatment only feel more vindicated (or righteous, as the case may be) in their position and it never ends. More's the pity for baby boys whose fundamental rights to have their bodies left intact and to make such decisions for themselves in maturity -- speaking as someone who was circumcised as an infant, all without my permission, of course.

And another thing I'd like to point out: Judaisim is not the only religion that practices circumcision. Islam does as well. It's just it is not as high a profile matter as it is in Judaism, possibly why it gets less attention. But any religion that says it's fine to cut up a child's genitalia in some way in the name of God is, IMO, need of some basic lessons on the topic of human rights. Same goes for MDs and secular people who think it's OK, too. Point is: It's wrong, period, and I don't care if you do it in the name of God, Lucifer, or the old lady down the street. Wrong is wrong.

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Submitted by Matt on Sat, 2010-05-08 17:21