Posted on 04/15/2005 6:31:16 AM PDT by bedolido
FES, Morocco (AP) The infant son of King Mohammed VI was circumcised Thursday, and thousands of Moroccans also went through the procedure in a massive show of solidarity for the prince, a news agency reported.
The circumcision of Moulay Hassan, the king’s only son, marked the start of three days of nationwide celebrations across the north African kingdom to honor the event. The boy turns 2 next month.
Some 5,000 boys were circumcised in Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city, and thousands more in other cities and towns, the official news agency MAP reported.
The ritual of circumcision, known as “t’hara” or purification in Morocco, signals the entry of young boys into the Muslim community. The practice—once mainly carried out by barbers— today takes place primarily under a doctor’s supervision.
Thanks for the welcome. It was a serious question.
In my opinion there are some legitimate ethical issues related to medically unnecessary genital surgery on children.
Whether or not you deem circumcision to be medically necessary, I can assure you that a circumcision on an infant a few days old is much less traumatic than one performed a couple of years later when repeated infections in the foreskin make it "medically necessary".
It is not just my opinion that infant circumcision is medically unnecessary, it is the opinion of every professional medical organization in the world that has an official policy on circumcision. Professional medical organizations unanimously say there is no medical indication for neonatal circumcision.
Repeated infections are rare in children with intact genitals, both boys and girls. When a girl gets a genital infection, the doctor will treat it with medication, not surgery. Medication is also an effective treatment for infections in boys with intact genitals. Surgery should be the last resort, not the first recommendation, especially when there are effective non-invasive methods of treatment available.
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