Circumcision and the Special City

Townhall.com ^ | June 2, 2011 | Debra J. Saunders

[RichInOC]

Unfortunately for San Francisco State, UC Irvine already calls its athletic teams the Anteaters.

[yldstrk]

Pretty soon, no families will live in San Fran Sicko. The idiots that supported these measures are stupid and short sighted.

[circlecity]

"Palo Alto pediatrician Erica Goldman follows the guideline. She informs parents of the plusses -- reduced chances of urinary tract infection and sexually -transmitted diseases -- as well as the risks -- it's a permanent cosmetic change."

In other words, there are absolutely no medical risks.

[silverleaf]

However, if your clinician chooses to dismember a fetus- no problem

[swain_forkbeard]

Most people, including Debra J. Saunders, don’t mind putting a boundary around parental choice, so it’s really just an argument about where to draw the line.

[Dilbert San Diego]

It’s amazing that SF bans Happy Meals, and bans plastic bags, but allows public sex at events such as Folsom Street Fair. And these are the people who want to ban circumcision.

Well, anything involving the penis is of utmost importance in San Francisco. The dudes in The Castro will research this subject a lot between now and election day.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Yep, it’s amazing that we’re supposed to be “pro-choice” on an issue such as abortion. On that issue, it’s supposed to be up to a woman and her doctor and her conscience and all that. Government is not to intrude on such a personal deeply private issue.

But when it comes to circumcision, a major city wants to take a personal deeply private issue and bring the force of law into that issue.

I don’t understand the criteria for how liberals decide when an issue is one of personal freedom/personal choice, and which issues require the government to ban something.

[Bringbackthedraft]

“an efficacious intervention for HIV prevention.” .................................... I doubt it, HIV is protected against by staying clear of HIV infected individuals. I don’t think circumcisions will end the HIV problem since it is a behavioral thing. Before 1945 circumcisions weren’t even a considered thing unless you lived in an urban area like NYC. The medical profession and hospitals will lose millions if the bill passes. Follow the $$$$.

[Mashood]

“The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that parents be informed that “newborn male circumcision has POTENTIAL medical benefits and advantages as well as disadvantages and risks.”

Nuff said.

[Dilbert San Diego]

I remember a couple years ago, reading that San Francisco is seeing a major population decline among families with school age children. And the city was putting together a task force to study the issue. City officials were concerned that they were seeing an exodus of a major population group.

Some reports indicated that expensive housing and problems in the schools were two major issues causing middle class families to move out of the city. But the whole liberal political/social climate was not mentioned as something which families with children wanted to avoid. But I’m sure that unspoken factor plays a role in causing some people with kids NOT wanting to live in a place like S.F.

[Stepan12]

The irony is that a circumcised penis is more resistant to the hiv virus: Circumcised men are less likely to become hiv infected

One would think that homosexual friendly San Francisco would welcome such a procedure. But when has science intruded on pc garbage thought?

[kabumpo]

I'm torn on this one (no pun intended). On the one hand, circ is an extremely.common practice and absolutely necessary for Jews. Presumably one doesn't want to force all Jews to leave SF. On the other hand, just as the infant in the womb has no choice, it's all the mother’s choice to abort the baby, the newborn male child is also helpless to choose. And it is genital mutilation. All this stuff about HIV is nonsense. The circ does decrease sexual pleasure for the male and also for the woman.

[SumProVita]

Where is the Constitutional counterbalance here...regarding freedom of religion?

There are many doctors who explain the medical benefits of circumcision...so this can’t legitimately be claimed to be an absolute health safeguard. What about parents who want this procedure because they believe it IS healthier?

[paul51]

Tex Cohen lived in - you guessed it, Texas. One day, he bought a round
of drinks for everyone in the pub because his wife Honeysuckle had
just given birth to “a typical Texas baby boy weighing 20 pounds.”

Everyone in the pub congratulated him and many told him that they
found it hard to believe that his baby weighed in so heavy.

But Tex assured them, “It’s true, it’s really true.”

When Tex came back to the same pub three weeks later, the barman said
to him, “Say, you're the father of the typical Texas baby that
weighed 20 pounds at birth aren’t you? So tell us, how much does your
baby weigh now?”

Tex proudly replied, “Twelve pounds.”

The barman could not understand this, so he asked Tex, “Why? Is he
ill? What happened? He weighed 20 pounds at birth, why has he lost so
much weight?”

Tex took a big swig from his beer, wiped his lips with the back of his
hand, leaned into the barman and proudly replied, “Had him
circumcised.”

[massgopguy]

Anyone else know what “Docking” is?

[longtermmemmory]

ah hate to differ on this silly issue but there are doctors on both sides of this issue. (surgery infections etc.)

it boils down to a personal decision based on faith.

[I cannot think of a name]

Well, I guess you really can't blame them since there is nothing else on their agenda. The budget is balanced, the city is a gleaming jewel, crime is virtually nonexistent - might as well turn our attention to the next most pressing matter.

(King Kong level of sarcasm - OFF)

Government loves to perform this maneuver. In football they call it the misdirection play. Voters are supposed to become distracted by this unimportant issue so as to keep them from noticing that government is flat on its a$$ on every important issue!

[thulldud]

The circ does decrease sexual pleasure for the male and also for the woman.

I absolutely DO NOT WANT to know how you think you know this.

Meanwhile, parents continue to make choices for their children, as they always have done.

And the nanny state tries to substitute itself as the only true parent, as nanny states always have done.

[mom4melody]

Why would any family WANT to live in San Fransico?

My husband was offered a job there once and I assured him he’d be moving alone.

No way would I move children into that perverted cesspool.