Mo. High Court May Decide Whether Boy Can Be Circumcised

Kansas City Channel ^ | July 15, 2004

[presidio9]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- For most little boys, circumcision is a decision for the parents to make. But the Missouri Supreme Court may make that decision for one local boy because his parents don't agree.

Two-and-a-half-year-old Ethan Azar's mother does not want to have him circumcised.

"There's no medical society in the world that recommends it, including the American Academy of Pediatrics," said Camille Azar.

But Ethan's father was recently granted sole custody. He wants his son circumcised. While the boy's father and his attorney would not appear on camera, they did cite personal, social and health reasons for wanting the circumcision, KMBC's Kelly Eckerman reported.

Circumcision removes the layer of skin covering the penis. It is something more and more parents are opting not to do, Eckerman said. The medical community calls it a personal decision.

"Everyone has their bias. But we try to base recommendations on sound medical evidence and it just isn't there to say yes or no," Dr. Ken Wible said.

Lower courts refused to intervene, so the case is now going to the Missouri Supreme Court to see if Ethan's father should be able to go ahead with the circumcision.

"The fact the courts have ruled he can make medical decisions doesn't mean he can make a decision to have part of the healthy living flesh of the child cut off," said Dennis Owens, Camille Azar's attorney.

Doctors did tell KMBC that Ethan's age is a factor.

"At that age, a child is going to need anesthesia," Wible said.

Camille Azar said that the decision should be up to her son when he's older.

"I want Ethan to make the decision about his own body," Camille Azar said.

Eckerman said that religion plays a role in some families' decisions about circumcision, but that has not been an issue here. The battle over Ethan's circumcision comes in the middle of a custody battle. A decision from the state's high court is expected within two weeks.

[Xenalyte]

I can find humor in damn near anything, and do. Now I'm laughing at you. See how easy that was?

[Xenalyte]

I mean for the guys my age. I expect the little guys are still getting help from the parents.

[HamiltonJay]

Sorry, get the boy snipped... why should have to endure a life time of less then pleasurable sex when he's older because his mother, who is not his guardian wants him to look like a turtle in the shell.

[BikerNYC]

And from THIS sort of creature you can expect "meticulous hygiene"? Not hardly.

Getting a boy to put soap and water on his hands is one thing...getting him to put soap and water on Mr. Johnson is quite another. It won't be a problem.

[US admirer]

The way I look at it is this.

I'm lost in the forest with some beautiful chick- no rain, no streams no lakes. Given that the cleanliness index is related to the willingness index, I figure that I got two maybe three days more than the guy with the gratuitous penis flab for a few moments of ecstasy. No way I'm gonna give up that chance.

[SoothingDave]

Calimari tips in red sauce.

LOL

SD

[ChicagoHebrew]

Actually, babies really don't feel it. First of all, the nerves connecting the brain to the skin and organs haven't fully developed at birth -- so there is less pain anyway then there would be for an adult. Secondly, they use a local anesthetic to dull whatever pain remains. I've been to many religious circumcisions. The baby doesn't even cry about half the time.

[HamiltonJay]

Funny, several men I know who had circumcisions later in life have told me its far far far better since circumcision.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Cleanliness is next to Godliness, and this applies equally to males and females.

I wouldn't want any part of this skank, that's for damn sure.

[Leroy S. Mort]

Ahh it's the annual Circumcision Thread. I wondered when it would raise its head.

My favorite all-time FR circumcision quote is:

"Uncircumcised penises don't look natural."

I see there are some keeper quotes already and we're not even to 500 posts yet.

[Tijeras_Slim]

gratuitous penis flab

Great name for a band.

[US admirer]

"The Flab Four"

[presidio9]

he is a fun sort.... ; )

I am available for parties, but I don't do characters.

[cyborg]

LOL

[AnAmericanMother]

If you don't watch my boy like a hawk, he gets out of the bathtub just as dirty (but muddier) as when he got in. And at 12 he's getting too old for me to stand over him, so I don't know if his private parts are the only clean place on him. (But if his hands are still dirty, I know the rest of him is too! :-D )

Guess his dad'll have to do the same sort of inspection MY dad had to do on his EMs in the Army in WWII . . .

[Modernman]

If he was only seeing her to get oral sex, then she is well rid of him.

Someone who has issues with oral sex probably also has other sexual hang-ups.

[Modernman]

why should have to endure a life time of less then pleasurable sex when he's older

Whatever makes you think that uncut guys can't enjoy sex?

[presidio9]

If you can find humor in this topic, you've got real problems, Ace. Seek help.

Yeah, Ace! What he said!

[Modernman]

I was mostly commenting on the "largely."

Huh, huh... She said "large."

[presidio9]

Hold on a sec:

Do you consider giving lewinskis to be a chore?