Saturday, February 18, 2012

SLOVENIA: Catholic Church Defies the Whole of Western Medicine, the Law, Itself


Earlier this month, the Human Rights Ombudsman in Slovenia published his opinion that circumcision for non-medical reasons was a violation of children's rights. He based it purely on preexisting laws and maxims of medicine, but speaking ill of the non-medical circumcision of children has outraged Jews and Muslims in Slovenia.

The following is an excerpt translated from the original article linked above:
A complainant asked the Ombudsman to assess whether circumcision of boys is interference with the rights of the child, especially if it is done only for religious reasons and not justified on health grounds. The complainant considered that such interference by the Slovenian doctors is harmful, but he did not know all the negative consequences (prejudice, subconscious trauma, impotence, infection, etc..).

Before preparing the opinion, available scientific literature on the issues was examined, particularly the article by Damian Korošec, published in the magazine Lawyer, Volume 50 (1995) entitled [Circumcision - pointless] banality of surgery. Inquiries were sent to the College of Experts on General Surgery, the National Medical Ethics Commission of the Slovenian Republic and the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia.

... The expanded expert committee for surgery ... concluded that the circumcision of boys for non-medical reasons is not medically justified. Indications for professional intervention are listed in the professional urological literature.

The Office of the Commission for Medical Ethics has given a long answer, which is summarized in its opinion of principle: "ritual circumcision of boys for religious reasons in our country, for legal and ethical reasons is unacceptable, and doctors should not perform it." In addition to the unacceptability of circumcision from an ethical point of view, the Commission also points out that it is unacceptable to falsify medical documentation by recording a ritual circumcision as medically indicated.

The Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia was asked for information concerning payment for circumcision (annual number of interventions, the price of services) and how the issue of payment is arranged, if medical intervention is not indicated, but is carried out only at the request of the individual or his legal representatives. The Institute replied that they have no information on the annual number of interventions; the delivery price that society pays health care providers is €34.88.

When intervention is not medically indicated, service is not covered by the compulsory health insurance, the patient or his agents must pay for the intervention.

...We decided to examine the situation with regard to some important issues of human rights and especially children's rights. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child obliges States Parties to take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury and abuse, while in the care of parents, legal guardians or any other person who care for him (article 19 CRC).

The Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia in the 56th Article grants the child special protection and care under the 35th Article as everyone is guaranteed the inviolability of physical and mental integrity. These provisions clearly show that any intervention in the physical integrity of children is limited and justifiable only for medical reasons. If there is a medical indication, which is to protect the health of the child, circumcision may be performed; such intervention is a legitimate and legal, and the permission of a parent who has responsibility for the child's development is required or allowed. (Reader: Note this is usually the way it works for ANY OTHER medically indicated surgery, not just circumcision.) If for any reason parents would not allow an indicated medical intervention, the competent authorities may determine possible dereliction of duty in caring for the child and take the necessary measures provided by law.

However, if medical circumcision of the child is not indicated, but is only a result of his parents' beliefs (religious or otherwise), such intervention has no legal basis. This is so whether or not the child is explicitly opposed to the intervention. Interference with the physical integrity of a child solely because of the desire of his legal representatives or guardians, therefore, constitutes an inadmissible interference in his body and is in our opinion the evidence of criminal behavior.

The Patients Rights Act (Official Gazette. 15/08) in section 26 stipulates that a patient who is capable of making prior free and informed consent is not permitted to undergo medical procedure or medical care, without such consent except in cases provided by law. For children, the Patients' Rights Act provides that, generally over 15 is the ability to consent, unless the physician, according to their maturity assesses that it is not able. A child before the age of 15 but under the law generally is not able to consent, with the doctor in these cases, estimated to be in this position. The Act specifically provides that a child's opinion regarding the treatment takes into account the extent possible, if it is able to express an opinion and if he understands the significance and consequences.

The Constitution recognizes the right of parents, in accordance with their beliefs, to provide their children with religious and moral education. ... Guidance on religious education, in our opinion does not include the right of parents due to mere religious belief to choose to intervene in the child's body. We therefore believe that circumcision, for reasons other than medical, is not permitted and constitutes unlawful interference with the child's body and thus violates his rights.

... Parents are primarily responsible for the development of children's health, but also they must in all cases take into account the child's interest as a guide in decision making. Also, in deciding their rights they are limited by the rights of others, in this case, therefore, their children, ... The right to religious freedom does not justify interference with the right to physical integrity of another, so we believe that circumcision for non-medical reasons, may only be [with] the child's consent, subject to the conditions provided for by law on patients' rights, therefore, usually after 15 years of age.

The Whole of Western Medicine Agrees
The trend of opinion on routine male circumcision is overwhelmingly negative in industrialized nations. No respected medical board recommends the circumcision of infants, not even in the name of HIV prevention. They must all point to the risks, and they must all state that there is no convincing evidence that the benefits outweigh these risks. To do otherwise would be to take an unfounded position against the best medical authorities of the West.

"The British Medical Association has a longstanding recommendation that circumcision should be performed only for medical reasons... Recent policy statements issued by professional societies representing Australian, Canadian, and American pediatricians do not recommend routine circumcision of male newborns".
"...benefits are not sufficient for the American Academy of Pediatrics to recommend that all infant boys be circumcised."
"...the association between having a sexually transmitted disease (STD) - excluding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and being circumcised are inconclusive... most of the studies [of the effect of circumcision on HIV] ...have been conducted in developing countries, particularly those in Africa. Because of the challenges with maintaining good hygiene and access to condoms, these results are probably not generalizable to the U.S. population".
"Current understanding of the benefits, risks and potential harm of this procedure no longer supports this practice for prophylactic health benefit. Routine infant male circumcision performed on a healthy infant is now considered a non-therapeutic and medically unnecessary intervention."
~College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia 
"[We] do not support recommending circumcision as a routine procedure for newborns."
"The BMA considers that the evidence concerning health benefits from non-therapeutic circumcision is insufficient for this alone to be a justification for doing it."
~The British Medical Association
"...the level of protection offered by circumcision and complication rate of circumcision do not warrant a recommendation of universal circumcision for newborn and infant males in an Australian and New Zealand context."
"The official viewpoint of KNMG (The Royal Dutch Medical Association) and other related medical/scientific organizations is that non-therapeutic circumcision of male minors is a violation of children’s rights to autonomy and physical integrity. Contrary to popular belief, circumcision can cause complications – bleeding, infection, urethral stricture and panic attacks are particularly common. KNMG is therefore urging a strong policy of deterrence. KNMG is calling upon doctors to actively and insistently inform parents who are considering the procedure of the absence of medical benefits and the danger of complications."
The Catholic Church Intervenes

The Human Rights Ombudsman in Slovania would have local, international law, and standard medical practice on his side, much to the chagrin of Jews and Muslims who have expressed outrage against him.

And yet, despite the clarity of the law, local and international, despite the consonance of Western medicine regarding the issue, the Catholic Church has impertinently decided to intervene on behalf of the Jewish and Muslim communities who see the circumcision of children as their "religious right."

According to the Slovenian Times:

[The Justice and Peace Commission of Slovenian Bishops] stressed today that the Ombudsman's statement, which had already been rejected by the Jewish and Muslim communities last week, was in violation of both Slovenian legislation and human rights, considering it a public call for disrespecting identities of at least two Slovenian religious communities.

The president of the commission, Maribor Archbishop Marjan Turnšek, moreover said in the press release that this was not in line with the Constitution and the religious freedoms act, as well as "a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms".

Odd... I'm pretty sure he made quite sure his statement was in line concerning Slovenian legislation and human rights (see above).

Turnšek claimed that the Ombudsman did not prove that circumcision would harm the children's health, and that it was not justified that religious circumcision had elements of a criminal act.

The opinion "limits religious freedom and the right to religious education of children" of Muslim and Jewish parents, according to him.

And here, it looks as if the Catholic Church is now acting as some sort of medical authority. This wouldn't be the first time the Catholic Church made a medical value judgement; in the past, the Pope condemned the use of condoms as a means to stop HIV transmission.





The circumcision of healthy, non-consenting minors defies the standard of care for therapeutic surgery, which requires that the medical benefits of the surgery far outweigh the medical risks and harms, or for the surgery to correct a congenital abnormality. Standard medicine dictates that unnecessarily invasive procedures should not be used where alternative, less invasive techniques, are equally efficient and available. The most basic maxims of medicine tell us that it is unethical and inappropriate to perform surgery for therapeutic reasons where medical research has shown there to be other techniques to be at least as effective and less invasive.

Continues the article:
Turnšek added that the Ombudsman acted in violation of the religious freedoms act because it did not consult religious communities and churches before releasing its opinion.

Oh? Is it some sort of requirement that churches and synagogues must be consulted before the ombudsman can issue a statement on the medical validity of a surgical procedure? Since when?

The article concludes:
The commission also said that circumcision for religious reasons was not forbidden in virtually any developed and secular country.

It called on all relevant state bodies to reject the biased opinion, which had been published by the Ombudsman at the beginning of the month.

And why, precisely, should medical bodies ever listen to religious institutions regarding the validity of a surgical procedure is beyond me...


Self-Contradiction

As if defying local and international law, and  further still taking an unfounded position against the best medical authorities in the West weren't enough, Maribor Archbishop Marjan Turnšek seems to be oblivious to his own faith:
"… Except when performed for strictly therapeutic medical reasons, directly intended amputations, mutilations, and sterilizations performed on innocent persons are against the moral law."
~The Catholic Catechism (Item 2297: Respect for bodily integrity)

"…the amputation of any part of the human body is never legal, except when the entire body cannot be saved from destruction by any other method."
~Pope Benedict XIV (1740-58)

"From a moral point of view, circumcision is permissible if, in accordance with therapeutic principles, it prevents a disease that cannot be countered in any other way."
~Pope Pius XII 
More an what the Catholic Church has to say on circumcision here.

So WHY Did the Catholic Church Do This?
It is quite clear that this was nothing more than a PR tactic to pay lip service to the Jews and Muslims who have expressed outrage, and it has absolutely nothing to do with peace and justice.

So how far does the Catholic Church advocate "religious freedom?"

It is a Muslim religious custom in some countries, to slash their children's heads on the day of Ashura.


What if Muslims started practicing this in Slovenia? And what if Slovenian authorities condemned it? Would the Catholic Church intervene then?

It some countries, female circumcision is seen as a religious requirement for Islam.


Does the Catholic Church defend "religious freedom" here too?

How far does the Catholic Church defend "religious freedom?"

How far must medical organizations keep quiet about "religious customs?"

Or is this limited to male circumcision?






The Bottom Line
The foreskin is not a birth defect. Neither is it a congenital deformity or genetic anomaly akin to a 6th finger or a cleft. Neither is it a medical condition like a ruptured appendix or diseased gall bladder. Neither is it a dead part of the body, like the umbilical cord, hair, or fingernails. The foreskin is normal, natural, healthy, FUNCTIONING tissue, with which all boys are born.

Unless there is a medical or clinical indication, the circumcision of healthy, non-consenting individuals is a deliberate wound; it is the destruction of normal, healthy tissue, the permanent disfigurement of normal, healthy organs, and by very definition, infant genital mutilation, and a violation of the most basic of human rights.

The Ombudsman is to be commended for standing up for what is right, according to local and international law, and according to the most basic maxims of medicine, in the face of religious fanatics.

The Justice and Peace Commission ought to be ashamed of itself for sacrificing the most basic of human rights on the altar of political gain.

Friday, February 10, 2012

COLORADO: Senator Aguilar Circumvents Circumcision Debate

In my last post, I wrote about the proposed bill in Colorado to reinstate Medicaid coverage for routine infant circumcision. Last year, Colorado became the 18th state to drop Medicaid coverage for the medically unnecessary procedure, and Senator Joyce Foster, backed by Senator Irene Aguilar and several others, have introduced Senate Bill 90 to reverse this.

A hearing was held by the Colorado Senate Health and Human Services Committee on the second of this month. A very spirited debate ensued, and the fact that the arguments were clearly on the side of the intactivists present should have killed the bill then and there. The bill managed to pass by a 6-3 vote, however, and intactivists have been trying to contact all who were involved since.

Senator Aguilar Evades Debate

Intactivists had been trying to contact Senator Foster, Senator Aguilar, as well as others regarding their support of this bill long before it went before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on the second. The senators, along with other backers, waited until hours just before the hearing to send out an automated form response to Colorado intactivists, giving them very little time to prepare for a response at the hearing. Replies from Senator Aguilar, as well as others, can be found in my previous blog post.

The replies didn't touch upon a single question asked by concerned intactivists, and instead were scripted form letters touting the so-called "benefits" of circumcision, and toeing the pro-circumcision party line.

After the hearing, Colorado intactivists began to try and contact the Senators and others once again to ask what happened, and to repeat the questions posed to them, which they have yet to answer. Intactivists in and outside Colorado are currently engaged in a letter-writing campaign, and they are attempting to contact all involved in any which way they can.

Senator Aguilar happens to have a Facebook page, where intactivists have tried contacting her, posting the same questions to her, but they've been met with the same unwillingness to engage.

Initially, she seemed welcome to the idea, and even posted a reply, which was more or less a repetition of the reply she sent out just before the hearing, never deviating from the script. (The reply can be found on my previous post.)

Ultimately, however, Senator Aguilar has taken it upon herself to start silencing the people questioning her, and deleting questions and statements that defy her position from her Facebook page. Additionally, she has actually started blocking a number of us, again, ignoring every question we have asked her. 

Senator Aguilar's Director of Communications Steps In
In response to our attempts to contact Senator Aguilar through her Facebook page, her Director of Communications, Owen Perkins has stepped in as her spokesman, and, perhaps to be funny, posted the following remark: 

Hello.

This is Owen Perkins, Director of Communications for Senator Aguilar, with a quick clarification about this page and our policy regarding posting on it.

The page was never meant to be a forum, but rather a source for news and information about Senator Aguilar’s events, her activities at the Capitol and in the community, and topics of interest to her constituents.

The recent discussion about SB12-090 was informative and helpful in sharing perspectives with those visiting this page. The numerous posts did, however, obscure the information the page exists to promote. As a result, we had to turn off the public posting functionality, while keeping the ability to comment available to visitors.

In turning off the posting option, all posts not originating from our office were automatically removed by Facebook. This included all posts supporting, opposing, and inquiring about the topic of SB12-090, as well as all posts--positive, negative, and otherwise--about any topic.

Additionally, some comments supporting and opposing SB12-090 were removed for inappropriate language and tone. We entertained a vast array of opinions on the page, many of which tread a fine line in terms of maintaining decent discourse, but we only removed those that crossed the line into personal and inappropriate attacks beyond the scope of a civil debate.

So here’s the policy: Keep your comments respectful and civil, keep your comments on the topic of the post you are commenting under, and don’t “spam” or “flood” the page with repetitions of the same comment. We will remove comments that don’t adhere to those guidelines, and you will likely lose your access to the page for disregarding this policy.

We appreciate the passion, commitment, and curiosity of those that visit this page, and Senator Aguilar is grateful for your input. Thank you for understanding that with our limited resources, we are not able to constantly monitor a spirited forum and must, therefore, keep the page limited to its original intent of sharing information, updates, and alerts concerning Senator Aguilar, her constituents in Senate District 32, and Coloradans affected by the work of the State Legislature.

Please contact Senator Aguilar’s office directly for any issue you think she can help with or to share your input as a concerned constituent and Coloradan.

Thanks, and take care.

Owen Perkins, Director of Communications
Office of Senator Irene Aguilar, MD


All I've got to say to that is, what complete and utter hogwash from Owen Perkins. Senator Aguilar's Director for Communications is trying to redefine what has happened, and it is pathetic to say the least.

Could Owen Perkins please explain why all comments with well-reasoned questions about the so-called "benefits" of non-therapeutic surgery in healthy infants and the rights of children were removed, while comments supporting Senator Aguilar's position on Senate Bill 90 were left up?

Why is any post that questions the legitimacy of taxpayers having to pay for non-medical surgery on a healthy, non-consenting infant, and that supports a child's human right to body integrity, deemed "inappropriate?"

On top of removing comments that jeopardize Senator Aguilar's position, why are Facebook users who were being civil, polite and factual being BLOCKED?

Judging from her attitude, and judging from how automated and scripted her responses are, and now, judging by the fact that she has asked her communications director to step in, it sounds like Senator Aguilar is not so interested in any facts or any real discourse, but is dead set on supporting this bill for unseen motives.

More than they could chew...
Given the facts, it looks like Joyce Foster, Irene Aguilar etc. didn't know what they were getting themselves into. They're ready to trot out all the "medical benefits" and scripted responses, but when faced with difficult questions and the truth, they are so utterly discombobulated they have to delete comments, block people and call in their speech writers.

These people are obviously not ready for this issue. They truly think that we're just a "fringe group," but when the comments and questions start hitting home, and they aren't equipped to discuss it fairly, they shut down. It shows you what a pathetically weak case they have.

WHY did this measure even pass 6-3?

There have got to be financial supporters to please, or personal agendas to fulfill.

Who is Senator Aguilar Representing?
A fellow intactivist in Colorado has made the following observation:

Senator Aguilar, doesn't even seem to be representing the vast majority of her constituency, and ought to be targeted and voted out of office.
 

This is district 32.

The Fort Logan area has some very poor areas; a lot of immigrants live in that pocket. Ironically, the State Mental Hospital happens to be in her district; a hospital that has had its capacity reduced because of Medicaid cuts! The other areas in her district include Washington Park and Cherry Creek; these house the wealthiest people in the state! Only Greenwood Village has a higher per capita income! She hardly has a large population of voters who need, nor want, government funded circumcisions. Her district dog legs into areas where most Denver City employees reside. There is simply no way that her district's demographic has an interest in Medicaid covered circumcision!

In closing...


Truth suppressed, whether by crooks or courts, will find an avenue to be told.
~Sheila Steele (1943-2006)

You can delete comments and block users on Facebook, Senator Aguilar, but you cannot stop people from speaking the truth.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

COLORADO: Conflicts of Interest Plague Medicaid Circumcision Coverage Bill


On February 2nd this year, the Colorado Senate Health and Human Services Committee held a hearing for Senate Bill 90. Last year, Colorado became the 18th state to drop Medicaid coverage for routine infant circumcision, and the bill, introduced by Senator Joyce Foster, aims to restore the coverage, which is estimated at $186,500 annually.

Seeing the circumcision of healthy, non-consenting infants as a violation of basic human rights, and a waste of taxpayer dollars, intactivists had been watching the introduction of this bill closely. Colorado intactivists were alerted to contact  members of the Committee to tell them why this bill was a bad idea. They got responses from three senators just a few hours just before the hearing, saying why they were in support of the bill, giving Colorado intactivists little time to prepare for the hearing in advance.

Even given the short amount of time given to prepare, however, Colorado intactivists attended the hearing and gave those in support of the bill a run for their money.

Joyce Foster defended her bill from the platforms of "disease prevention," "fairness," "social justice" and "parental choice." She and a number of other speakers read off a litany of "medical benefits," above all, stressing the HIV "research" in Africa, and likening circumcision to a vaccine.

Intactivists fired back, calling out all the misinformation being presented, effectively destroying the opposing side's arguments of the "medical necessity" of the circumcision of infants.

Mark Filbert challenged the assertion that public funding for circumcisions was a matter of "social justice."

“Nobody has said anything about the choice of the person on whom this is done,” he said. “I very much resent that this decision was made for me. … I don’t think state money should be used to potentially violate the individual human rights of men.”

Intactivists had conclusively made their case, putting Senator Joyce Foster in her place.

Even so, the bill passed 6-3.

Senators Ellen Roberts, Jean White, and Kevin Lundberg voted against restoring the funding, while Senators Jeanne Nicholson, Betty Boyd, Linda Newell, Shawn Mitchell, Irene Aguilar; and Joyce Foster voted for the bill.

The arguments on our side were clearly argued, which is why many intactivists are bewildered as to why the bill managed to pass. Given the responses Colorado Intactivists got from the senators, we sense the they may have been bought out, the votes were already cast in advance, and this was all just political theatre.

Automated and Scripted
In response to their e-mails and letters, Colorado intactivists got back form letters from their senators. They were automated and scripted, and the senators didn't even attempt to answer questions posed to them; they were just form responses touting the "benefits" of circumcision, and touting the pro-circumcision party line.


From: Senator Irene Aguliar

Colorado intactivists got the following form letter from Senator Irene Aguilar:

Thank you for your thoughtful letter.

I want to take a moment to explain to you why I support SB 90.

First, I see this as a social justice issue.  I think the decision a parent or parent(s) make about circumcision is very personal.  I do not want cost to be part of that decision for families on Medicaid.  You may not know this, but 75 to 80% of American men are circumcised.  Most families choose to have the newborn son circumcised if their father is circumcised. I would like families on Medicaid to have this choice.

Secondly, I think there is circumstantial evidence that there may be a medical benefit to circumcision in high risk populations.  The World Health Organization has strongly endorsed circumcision in Africa as it has decreased the incidence of HIV, AIDS, and STDs.  Circumcision is also linked to lower rates of HPV and cervical cancer in female partners.  While this data is not corroborated in the United States as a whole, there is evidence that HIV/AIDS and STDs are more prevalent in low income populations.

The overall costs to the state are under $200,000.  I would never endorse or suggest mandatory circumcision but do want all families in Colorado to make this very personal choice without regard to cost.

Thanks again for writing and for your engagement in the legislative process.

Sincerely,

Irene Aguilar, MD
State Senator, District 32
www.aguilarfor32.com


In her first paragraph, Senator Aguilar seems to come to the conclusion that, since 75% to 80% of US men are all circumcised, and that since "most families choose to have the newborn son circumcised if their father is circumcised," that it automatically means that that many babies are getting circumcised She seems to be unaware that, according to the latest CDC report, the rate of infant circumcision has dropped down to 56%. She also seems to be unaware of what Medicaid is supposed to be used for; absolute medical necessities. It brings up the question that I always ask on this blog:

Without medical or clinical necessity, how is it doctors can even be performing surgery on a healthy child, let alone give parents any kind of a "choice?"

So some parents view circumcision as a "choice" they're entitled to. Why should the taxpayer have to pay for elective surgery when there is no pressing medical need?

The second paragraph was to be expected, and it didn't surprise intactivists at all. Touting baseless claims, there was no attempt to answer questions posed to Aguilar by intactivists at all, which suggests that Aguilar isn't really interested in any "facts," as she is in justifying her predetermined decision to support this bill.

Yes, some (horrendously flawed) "evidence" indicates that there MIGHT be "medical benefits" (which?) in high-risks populations (of which newborns are?). The WHO has strongly endorsed circumcision in AFRICA, for men who engage in high-risk activities like multiple partnerships and unprotected sex, however, the WHO says nothing about infants elsewhere.

Regarding HPV, Aguilar is engaging in selection and preference; while some "studies" link circumcision to lower rates of HPV, others say that there is little to no difference, while still others link it to HIGHER transmission rates. Aguilar is touting HPV as a "potential medical benefit" of circumcision, based on inconclusive evidence.

But furthermore, she seems to imply that low income populations are dirty and disease-prone, and would somehow be too stupid to comprehend the use of condoms, which would be cheaper, and more effectively prevent any STD that she names.

She doesn't seem to care that the foreskin is a healthy, normal, functioning part of the body, or that there might be cheaper, more effective, less invasive ways to prevent disease. She doesn't seem to care that there are inherent risks to the procedure, which include infection, partial or full ablation, and even death. She doesn't seem to be aware that there has been a rise in circumcision botches and calls for their repair. She doesn't seem to care that circumcision is a human rights issue.

Senator Irene Aguilar on Facebook
For a while, Senator Irene Aguilar was gracious enough to let intactivists comment regarding Senate Bill 90 on her Facebook page. She posted the following, more or less sticking to her lines:

Dear Commentators on SB-90,

I respect the work that you, and people who share your passion, are doing to educate parents about the benefits of leaving a male infant uncircumcised. I also respect the right of those whose religion dictates this procedure to pursue it. And I respect the doctors' opinions on the potential medical benefits of the procedure. Most importantly, I defer to parents ...to make the decision that is most in line with their own personal values. I do not want their decisions to be based on poverty.


For me, Senate Bill 90 is not about whether infant males should or should not be circumcised. That is a personal decision. SB 90 is about giving parents who live in poverty the same choices that others have. And it was about the country-wide effort to undermine Medicaid by trying to cut benefits in any way possible. That is why it is such a social justice issue to me.


I would encourage you to continue your advocacy and education efforts with parents. I did learn a lot from the testimony I heard.


I hope you can respect my position, as I respect yours.


To quote MLK: Cowardice asks the question 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question 'Is it politic?' But conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but because conscience tells one it is right.


Clearly our opinions on what is right differ. I recognize that my opinion may not be safe or politic or popular with some of you. However, my conscience tells me it is right and I will not be bullied or harassed into going against my conscience.


Thank you for sharing your opinions. 


Sincerely,

Senator Irene Aguilar


It seems strange that she brings up religious obligation to circumcision, when what is being discussed is a bill to restore Medicaid coverage to the secular, non-religious practice of circumcision at hospitals.

And once again, she seems to forget, or possibly be completely oblivious to the fact that Medicaid is supposed to pay for medically necessary procedures. Instead, her bigger concern is that poor people won't be able to keep up with the Joneses because they can't afford an elective, non-medical procedure all the rich parents are putting their kids through. Instead of based on social status, shouldn't parents be making their medical decisions based on MEDICAL NECESSITY??? Senator Aguilar has a very strange definition of the words "social justice."

She claims to have "learned a lot" from peoples' testimony on the 2nd, but apparently not...

I can't see why, but she feels the need to quote Martin Luther King Jr:

Cowardice asks the question 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question 'Is it politic?' But conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but because conscience tells one it is right.

And Medicaid (not to mention medical ethics) asks the question "is it medically necessary?"

The question never was about whether or not it was "right," or what her conscience thinks.

The question is, is circumcision an absolute medical necessity in healthy children, and should taxpayers have to pay for it?

It appears Senator Aguilar has taken it upon herself to start silencing the people questioning her, and deleting questions and statements that defy her position from her Facebook page.

Judging from her attitude, and judging from how automated and scripted her responses are, it sounds like Senator Aguilar is not so interested in any facts, but is dead set on supporting this bill for unseen motives.

From Senator Joyce Foster:

Joyce Foster also replied to intactivists with a form letter just before the hearing, in more or less the same fashion as Senator Aguilar:

Thank you for sharing your concerns with me regarding Senate Bill 90. After reviewing the overwhelming scientific data validating that male circumcision reduces instances of HIV, AIDS, HPV, urinary tract infections, penile cancer and other infectious diseases I remain steadfast with my support to restore Medicaid funding for this important preventative health care procedure.

A 2009 UCLA AIDS Institute study reports that “Hospitals in states where Medicaid does not pay for routine male circumcision are only about half as likely to perform the procedure, and this disparity could lead to an increased risk of HIV infection among lower-income children later in life”.  Senate Bill 90 helps level the playing field for these children, providing them the same protection from contracting HIV as children with non-Medicaid health plans. Organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are working toward the same goal abroad, giving to the Global Fund for AIDS prevention. The Foundation cites studies that say male circumcision reduces HIV transmission by up to 70% in non-industrialized countries.

In addition, the Journal of the International Aids Society recently reported that “The scientific evidence accumulated over more than 20 years shows that among the strategies advocated during this period for HIV prevention, male circumcision is one of, if not, the most efficacious, epidemiological as well as cost-wise”.  Until last year Colorado covered male circumcision under Medicaid, and while the elimination reduced state spending by about $186,000 yearly, we must recognize that preventative care is key to sustainable savings.

Thank you again for writing and expressing your opinion with my office. I value your input.

Sincerely,

Colorado State Senator Joyce Foster
District 35
State Capitol Rm. 329
Capitol Phone: 303-866-4875
Email: joyce.foster.senate@state.co.us


Senator Foster's response was completely predictable, touting every last "medical benefit" she could, spoken like the true advocate of circumcision that she is. Much of her information is also inaccurate, and she would be refuted at the hearing on the 2nd by intactivists who knew what they were talking about. But let's examine some of what she touts here:

She claims there to be "overwhelming scientific data validating that male circumcision reduces" such and such disease. But how is this even possible?

The fact of the matter is, the trend of opinion on routine male circumcision is so overwhelmingly negative in industrialized nations, that it would be quite surprising were male circumcision to be recommended in the United States. No respected U.S. based medical board recommends circumcision for U.S. infants, not even in the name of HIV prevention. They must all point to the risks, and they must all state that there is no convincing evidence that the benefits outweigh these risks. To do otherwise would be to take an unfounded position against the best medical authorities of the West, within and outside of the United States.

There is not enough evidence for major medical organizations to come to any reasonable conclusion regarding the circumcision of infants, and yet, somehow, Senator Foster has found "overwhelming scientific data?" How can that be?

She makes the obligatory reference to HIV/AIDS, and I've already explained this, as well as HPV above, in my analysis of Senator Aguilar's response.

But these aren't enough; Foster also has to mention UTI, penile cancer and other "infectious diseases."

It must be noted that Senator Foster is attempting to resuscitate alibis for circumcision that have been since disproven. The notion that circumcision is a useful prophylactic against UTI, for example, has been laid to rest by the 1999 AAP Task Force on Circumcision.

According to the American Cancer Society:

"In the past, circumcision has been suggested as a way to prevent penile cancer. This was based on studies that reported much lower penile cancer rates among circumcised men than among uncircumcised men. But most researchers now believe those studies were flawed because they failed to consider other risk factors, such as smoking, personal hygiene, and the number of sexual partners.

Most public health researchers believe that the risk of penile cancer is low among uncircumcised men without known risk factors living in the United States. Most experts agree that circumcision should not be recommended solely as a way to prevent penile cancer."


She mentions a study which concludes that “Hospitals in states where Medicaid does not pay for routine male circumcision are only about half as likely to perform the procedure, and this disparity could lead to an increased risk of HIV infection among lower-income children later in life.”

While it may be true that circumcision is less performed where Medicaid does not pay for circumcision, the "increased risk of HIV among lower income children later in life" is pure speculation.

Like Aguilar, she talks from the platform of "social justice" saying that "Senate Bill 90 helps level the playing field for these children, providing them the same protection from contracting HIV as children with non-Medicaid health plans." The dubious assumption here being that children are at risk for HIV transmission, and that, when they're adults, they'd be promiscuous sex fiends that would be too stupid to learn to wear condoms. Again, even if the "science" were correct, which it is horrendously flawed, circumcision would be out-performed by condoms. Senator Foster seems more interested in legitimizing circumcision than she is about actual disease prevention, and I believe there is a very good reason, that I'll get into shortly.

I just think she's an idiot citing the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Bill Gates is very crazy about circumcision, but who is he? What medical credentials does he have? How is it his word trumps the word of the best medical authorities in the west?

I'd like to bring attention to the "up to 70%" figure we see here; not too long ago, the figure was "60%." So where is Bill Gates etc. getting this number from? Why doesn't it manifest itself anywhere else in the world?

Scot Anderson let Senator Foster have it in the hearing with the facts:
Circumcision has been practiced in America for decades now. 80% of US men have been circumcised from birth. And yet we manage to have the highest HIV transmission rate in the industrialized world. We have a higher HIV transmission rate than various countries in Europe where circumcision is rare.

He also challenged the bill's price tag of $186,000 yearly, stating that, based on average costs and the number of procedures reported in hospitals across the state, the likely cost to taxpayers was closer to $4 million annually.

From Brandon Shaffer:

Colorado intactivists got a response back from Brandon Shaffer which was faithful to the pro-circumcision script: 

Thank you for writing.  I rely on feedback from fellow Coloradans to be an effective legislator.  Senate Bill 090, known as the Medicaid circumcision bill, would provide vital preventative health care for boys.

I understand that the issue of male circumcision is controversial because it is at the intersection of medical and cultural debate, and I respect the varying factors that must be weighed.  However, reliable studies prove that male circumcision reduces instances of infectious disease, some congenital obstructive urinary tract anomalies, neurogenic bladder, spina bifida, and urinary tract infections.

A UCLA AIDS Institute study reports that if states opt to not cover male circumcision the rate of HIV in boys who were born into low-income families will likely go up.  Senate Bill 090 helps give those boys the same preventative healthcare as boys with non-Medicaid health plans.  Organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are working toward the same goal abroad, giving to the Global Fund for AIDS prevention.  The Foundation cites studies that say male circumcision reduces HIV transmission by up to 70% in non-industrialized countries.  

Up until July 1, 2011, Colorado covered male circumcision under Medicaid, and while the programmatic cut will save the state about $186,000 yearly, we must recognize that preventative care is key to sustainable savings.

Thank you again for writing and expressing your opinion.  Even though we may disagree, I value your input.

Sincerely,

Senator Brandon Shaffer

Brandon C. Shaffer
Senate President
Colorado State Capitol
200 East Colfax, Room 257
Denver, CO  80203
Phone:  (303) 866-3342
Fax:  (303) 866-4543


"Vital preventative care." Are newborns engaging in risky sexual activity that will put them at risk for HIV? Aren't condoms already more effective at preventing HIV transmission, and the transmission of other STDs?

He also seems to be missing the point, either intentionally, or because he's really that ignorant. "The issue of male circumcision is controversial because it is at the intersection of medical and cultural debate," he says. He fails to address the question of whether or not doctors can be performing surgery on minors without medical or clinical indication. He, like Aguilar, also seem to be oblivious to, or deliberately ignoring the fact that Medicaid is supposed to be paying for medically necessary procedure, not cultural traditions.

The issue of male circumcision is "controversial" because, unless there is a medical or clinical indication, the circumcision of healthy, non-consenting individuals is a deliberate wound; it is the destruction of normal, healthy tissue, the permanent disfigurement of normal, healthy organs, and by very definition, infant genital mutilation, and a violation of the most basic of human rights.

Shaffer mentions a few new diseases circumcision is supposed to prevent in his letter: "congenital obstructive urinary tract anomalies, neurogenic bladder, spina bifida."  It is simply baffling how circumcision advocates scrape the bottom of the barrel and always manage to find SOMETHING. What "obstructive urinary tract anomalies?" How often do these occur, and couldn't these be treated as they came? What is the rate of "neurogenic bladder and spina bifida?" What is the reason there is not an epidemic of these conditions in other countries where circumcision is rare? Absolutely astounding!

Almost word for word he mentions the UCLA paper that Foster mentions, as well as the "savings" this bill is supposed to offer. These are addressed in my analysis of Foster's letter.


Conflicts of Interest
Foster and her supporters don't have a case. They were clearly shown up at the hearing on the 2nd. They were clearly and conclusively refuted, and there is simply no way that the bill could have passed at that hearing. I speculate that there are other factors at play here. Ostensibly Foster etc. have an interest in public health, but I suspect that their interests are espoused elsewhere.


Financial Interest
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it!" ~Upton Sinclair
It would appear as if Irene Aguilar had a true interest in public health. But if so, why does she seem willfully ignorant to the facts? Instead of addressing questions Coloradans sent her, why does she send out a form letter touting the party line? Why does she keep deleting legitimate questions posed to her by concerned Coloradans on her Facebook page?

Irene Aguilar is a doctor, one that possibly profits from the circumcision of minors herself. Could it be she is not looking out for public health interests, or the interests of "low-income families," but only her own? Could it be she's bought and paid for by other physicians who profit from this procedure? I could only speculate, but I wouldn't put it past her.


Safeguarding Religious Tradition
I suspected that there might be a religious influence in all of this circumcision for "health benefits" talk; there usually is.

In this day and age, "religious freedom" and "parental choice" have lost their validity as alibis for male circumcision. The litmus test for this is female genital cutting; "religious freedom" and "parental choice" fail as arguments, which is why the conversation inevitably has to be directed towards the "research" and the "medical benefits" of circumcision. Advocates of infant circumcision as a religious right must therefore feign an interest in public health. Readers will remember that in order to strike down the circumcision ban proposal in San Francisco, circumcision advocates had to invoke an obscure law that protects veterinarians who profit from declawing cats.

Joyce Foster speaks from the platforms of "public health" and "social justice," but how much of this is an actual interest in public health and "equality," as opposed to an interest in protecting her own traditions?




It just so happens that Joyce Foster is married to a rabbi, Steven Foster. She is also quoted in the Colorado hearing as having had her own children circumcised "for religious and medical reasons." (Medical AND religious. Figure that!) According to her Wikipedia profile (Accessed 2/8/2012), she introduced a resolution in support of the nation of Israel.

So did Foster introduce Senate Bill 90 in true interest in public health? Or is she using her position of power and authority to help safe-guard a medical procedure that also just happens to be a religious rite particular to Judaism?

Is her husband a mohel, and did she introduce this bill as a favor for him? This wouldn't be the first time she uses her position to introduce a bill for a family member. In 2010, she introduced a bill that would benefit her brother-in-law, who was involved in relationship with a client he was paid to treat.

Incidentally, the UCLA "study" was written by one Arleen Leibowitz,who lamented, at the time, that 17 states had dropped Medicaid coverage for routine infant circumcision.

Brandon Shaffer, who replied to Coloradan intactivists with a form letter similar to Foster and Aguilar also happens to be Jewish, according to his Wikipedia profile. (Accessed 2/8/2012)

So what's this bill really about? And who is it really for?

Is it truly about public health? Or is this about safeguarding a religious tradition that has become ever under scrutiny?

The Hearing
Witnesses at the hearing say that it was phenomenal. The senators and their supporters were obviously not expecting any kind of competition, and they got their asses handed to them. There was over an hour of amazing intactivist testimony. Foster was clearly self-conscious and defensive. "Let me clarify," she said. "I had my sons circumcised because it was a health issue and a religious issue." (So what was wrong with them?) Aguilar had to beg for the vote, it was like a personal favor. I can only imagine that they all felt dirty afterward.

It is truly saddening and discouraging that although the arguments were clearly on our side, the bill passed 6-3 anyway. But in a way, this is no surprise; intactivists could see it coming a mile away. We saw it in the introduction of the bill, the dubious premises on which it was based, the ready-made responses from Aguilar and Foster... it was clear that there was an agenda.

We find comfort in that we took a few people to school that day. The advocates of the bill were made to look like fools, there was actual debate that others could learn from, and we got three dissenting votes. This is only the first stage in getting this bill passed, and there is still time to stop it.


Where the bill stands now
SB-90 will move to the Appropriations Committee, which is where bills that involve costs to the state go to first, for evaluation as to whether or not funds are available. The Appropriations Committee will be unable to conduct this evaluation, however, until the Joint Budget Committee finishes deciding the total state budget for the year. (This may not be until the end of March.) The bill must then be introduced in the House Committee by a sponsor, before it can go to the full House for a vote. It can be voted down at any stage in this process.


Closing Remarks
Circumcision is not a medically necessary procedure in healthy newborns. Speculation on potential disease can be used to warrant no other amputative surgery. Catering to parental whim or religious belief is not a medical mandate. Any "benefit" of circumcision that can be named can already be easily and better achieved through non-surgical means, and without putting a child at needless risk for infection, partial or full ablation, or even death.

The current trend is for states to eliminate any spending that does not directly benefit the recipients of Medicaid. Outside Colorado, infant circumcision is recognized by 17 other states as having no immediate benefit to infants, with enough costs to warrant its elimination except in the case of medical need.

Parents can always obtain the surgery through Medicaid, in the rare instance where it becomes medically necessary; before then, and for solely cosmetic purposes, it is a waste of taxpayer money.

At a time of decreased funding for necessary medical care and procedures, why should the taxpayer have to pay for superfluous, risky surgery, whose benefits are already equally, or better achieved through non-surgical means?

What other non-medical cultural traditions should the taxpayer have to pay for? Ear piercings? Scarification? Tribal tattoos? Where does it stop?

The Bottom Line
The foreskin is not a birth defect. Neither is it a congenital deformity or genetic anomaly akin to a 6th finger or a cleft. Neither is it a medical condition like a ruptured appendix or diseased gall bladder. Neither is it a dead part of the body, like the umbilical cord, hair, or fingernails. The foreskin is normal, natural, healthy, FUNCTIONING tissue, with which all boys are born.

Unless there is a medical or clinical indication, the circumcision of healthy, non-consenting individuals is a deliberate wound; it is the destruction of normal, healthy tissue, the permanent disfigurement of normal, healthy organs, and by very definition, infant genital mutilation, and a violation of the most basic of human rights.

Without any medical or clinical indication, how can a doctor be performing surgery on healthy, non-consenting infants, let alone be giving parents any kind of a choice? Let alone be compensated for it?


In Defiance
The trend of opinion on routine male circumcision is so overwhelmingly negative in industrialized nations that it would be quite surprising were male circumcision to be recommended in the United States. No respected U.S. based medical board recommends circumcision for U.S. infants, not even in the name of HIV prevention. They must all point to the risks, and they must all state that there is no convincing evidence that the benefits outweigh these risks. To do otherwise would be to take an unfounded position against the best medical authorities of the West, within and outside of the United States.

Medical bodies that agree that there is not enough evidence to recommend infant circumcision include the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, the Canadian Paediatric Society, the British Medical Association, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, and the Royal Dutch Medical Association.

The best medical authorities in the West have concluded that the benefits do NOT outweigh the risks. They must all say that there isn't enough evidence to recommend the circumcision of infants. So where are the Colorado senators getting their "overwhelming  scientific data" from? Do they dare defy the whole of Western medicine?

It needs to be made clear:
A vaccine functions by strengthening the immune system against pathogens that cause disease. When HIV, or any other disease, invades the body, it makes no difference to the immune system whether or not a man is circumcised. Saying that circumcision behaves ANYTHING like a vaccine is a deliberate LIE, it is an unscientific statement and a disservice in the fight against disease, and our leaders have got to stop repeating it.

Let it be clear:
The idea that circumcision prevents male heterosexual HIV transmission is a belief; a belief that cannot be scientifically demonstrated. A "decrease" in HIV transmission can be "observed" in three hopelessly flawed, heavily skewed "studies" that fail to correlate with real world empirical evidence. That this "decrease" was indeed caused by circumcision, however, is a far-fetched belief that "researchers" have yet to substantiate. "Researchers" are trying to frame their cherished beliefs and traditions in "research," and that's not science.

One of the most thorough demolitions of the "studies" the WHO has used to endorse adult circumcision as HIV prevention in Africa can be found here.

These three  papers thoroughly and conclusively destroy them. One must wonder what kind of boobs they have working at the WHO, that they managed to pass such highly flawed rubbish off as “science.”
Our leaders would do well to challenge and look at the "evidence" closer, instead of just accepting it at face value.

Does science trump basic human rights?
The science is irrefutably on OUR side, however we've got to stop buying into the idea that human rights can be bargained with "science" and "research."

Even IF we lent any credibility to the latest twaddle some people dare to call "science," circumcision would still fail. Even if we assumed the "research" to be problem free, the authors themselves cannot stress the use of condoms enough. Even if the latest "studies" were 100% infallible, we have got to ask, why is the solution always circumcision?

Is there any reason why "researchers" are not looking for non-destructive ways to prevent HIV transmission, and instead facilitating male circumcision which just happens to be a cherished ritual tradition?

Consider this:
There would never be enough "science" or "research" to endorse the promotion of female circumcision to prevent ANYTHING.

It wouldn't matter if female circumcision were made "painless," "bloodless," and it didn’t affect a girl’s sexuality. It wouldn't matter if female circumcision were performed in the clean environment of the hospital, by a trained professional, using pain killers and the most pristine, and most "advanced" utensils. Why do "researchers" grope for reasons to promote male infant circumcision?

Genital mutilation, whither it be wrapped in culture, religion or "research" is still genital mutilation.

We've got to stop giving credibility to the idea that deliberate child abuse and the violation of basic human rights can be justified with "science."


DISCLAIMER:
The opinions I express in this blog are my own, and do not necessarily reflect the view of all intactivists. These are my own individual expressions, and I do not claim to speak for any one intactivist affiliation. ~Joseph4GI

Saturday, February 4, 2012

PLANNED PARENTHOOD: Mutilated is the New "Normal"

Yes! Different is normal!

So I just recently saw a video put out by Planned Parenthood, entitled "Different is Normal."

It's an interesting little video, obviously aimed towards teens, and it would probably be a very good message if it weren't for one, tiny, detail.

Actually, no, it's actually a rather large detail; it outright tries to call the circumcised penis "normal," like any other part of the body we're born with.

The video starts out with a good message...
"As a teenager, you worry about a lot of things: homework, acne, your profile picture. One thing you shouldn't be worried about is whether or not your breasts, penis, or vulva are normal, but lots of kids do. So, are they normal? Will they be when you're all grown up? Short answer: yes. Long answer: well, when it comes to our bodies, being different is normal."

Well, there's a slightly longer answer, but Planned Parenthood won't be addressing it here.
"You already know that our bodies are just like snowflakes, no two are alike. Our faces are all made of the same parts: eyes, ears, nose, mouth, but they all look completely different. If that goes for your face, then why not the rest of your body? The reality is that normal is different. It's all over the place."


Do you see where this is going?




They start with the penis.

"Here's a flaccid, or soft, adult penis. All penises have the same parts: glans, shaft, urethra, and all have testicles hanging below. Here's one that's erect, or hard."

Of course.

But, where's the foreskin? Is that not a part of the penis? And why are they showing a picture of a circumcised penis, as if it were the way it appeared in nature? Where's the scar?


They show a second slide:



Only THEN do they decide to add:

"Some have foreskins, some are circumcised and have no foreskin."

Did the guy with a foreskin get some sort of body modification? Was he born with some sort of genetic variation? Why are penises assumed to be circumcised by default?


"Some are shorter, some are thicker, some are thinner, some curve when they're erect."
"All are normal."

Well. At least they hope to convince insecure teens.

Let's see how they treat the girls:

"Same goes for girls. Each vulva has an inner labia, outer labia, clitoris, 
pening to the vagina, urethra, and clitoral hood."

What's wrong with this picture?

They didn't seem to forget the labia, nor the clitoral hood, nor the clitoris in this diagram. Furthermore, the girls are actually shown different diagrams of different other vulvas, complete with different shapes and sizes of the clitoris, as well as variations in the lengths of the labia.

A stark difference is that the boys don't get to see different types of foreskins and/or glans. It appears the only variations among penises is circumcised and not... Absolutely no mention of the frenulum...



"Even with the same parts, each adult vulva looks completely different.
Some have bigger openings in the vagina, some have bigger clitorises that stick out..."


"...some have wide outer labia..."

"...some have bigger inner labia that stick out..."

"...and often the labia in the pair don't match each other."

"All are normal"

So much dedication and care for the female vulva. Where are all the variations of the male penis?  Where are all the large prominent glans? The long foreskins? The short foreskins? The uneven foreskins? Are those not "normal?"

But, more than this, where are all the circumcised vulvas? Where are the vulvas with no clitoris? Where are the vulvas that have been sewn up in infibulation? If they're showing diagrams of circumcised penises, why aren't they showing diagrams of female circumcision? Why does Planned Parenthood try to pass off the circumcised penis as just another variation of "normal?"


Would Planned Parent hood EVER dare to say that ANY of these things was normal?

Female genital cutting is "normal" for millions of girls in Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and all over South East Asia.

But let's not talk about THAT.

"So remember, when it comes to our faces, our hands, and yes, our genitals, different is normal. So you can officially stop worrying about your vulva, breasts, or penis."

Do you hear that, boys? Do you hear that men? You can stop worrying about the fact that someone took a knife and sliced off part of your penis.


Muslim boy becoming "normal."

This is perfectly "normal" and acceptable.

What about you girls who don't have a clitoris? Who are missing your labia? Or who have been infibulated?


For millions of girls globally, this is "normal."

Go sit in a corner and feel sorry for yourself.

Thanks, Planned Parenthood, but NO THANKS.

NOT NORMAL
No, the circumcised penis is NOT normal.

It is a forced, contrived, artificial phenomenon.

It is a subversion of the normal, healthy penis.

No, penises in the world DON'T all have the same parts. (Neither do vulvas in the world for that matter...) Some are missing parts, and it's because they were deliberately CUT OFF.

But let's not get into that; this is a feel-good video for teens, right?

SHAME ON PLANNED PARENTHOOD
This video is pure self-serving GARBAGE. 

Planned Parenthood ought to be ASHAMED for trying to normalize genital mutilation.

They ought to be ashamed that they are insulting the youth's intelligence with this crap.

SHAME on you, Planned Parenthood, SHAME on you.

Bottom Line
The foreskin is not a birth defect. Neither is it a congenital deformity or genetic anomaly akin to a 6th finger or a cleft. Neither is it a medical condition like a ruptured appendix or diseased gall bladder. Neither is it a dead part of the body, like the umbilical cord, hair, or fingernails. The foreskin is normal, natural, healthy tissue with which all boys are born.

Unless there is a medical or clinical indication, the circumcision of healthy, non-consenting individuals is a deliberate wound; it is the destruction of normal, healthy tissue, the permanent disfigurement of normal, healthy organs, and by very definition, infant genital mutilation, and a violation of the most basic of human rights.

The presence of the foreskin is normal, and its absence abnormal.

Nay, it is a deliberate disfigurement.

Genital mutilation, whither it be wrapped in culture, religion or "research" is still genital mutilation.

The same video touting the same bullshit can be seen here in Spanish.

The New York Times has actually published a very informative article concerning female genital cutting as it occurs in South East Asia and can be accessed here.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

MALAWI: Bishops OK Circumcision, Shun Condoms (Surprise Surprise...)


Remember when we said that promoting circumcision as HIV prevention would result in the perception of circumcision as a substitute for condoms?

I reiterated this warning in a recent post.

Ever since the WHO endorsed this madness, we intactivists have been issuing this warning.

Here is yet another example of this in action.

It appears Roman Catholic bishops in Malawi have approved of circumcision as an HIV prevention method, because, according to this article, "As a church we are against the use of condoms."

This is despite the fact that in Malawi, the ratio of circumcised vs. intact men who contracted HIV was 13.2% vs 9.5%, according to a study conducted there:

"In Malawi, circumcised men have a slightly higher HIV infection rate than men who were not circumcised (13 % compared with 10%). In Malawi, the majority of men are not circumcised (80%)(...where one would expect HIV to be the most rampant...) (See page 10)


According to Fr. George Buleya, "We have examined theological texts and found no opposition to it."


Here is some of what they would find if they had searched with their heads out of their asses:

 ~Gal. 5:2 "Behold, I Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing!"

 ~Gal. 5:3 "And I testify again to every male who receives circumcision, that he is in debt to keep the whole Law. You who do so have been severed from Christ. . . you have fallen from grace."

 ~Gal. 5:11 "But if I still proclaim circumcision. . . then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished."

 ~Gal. 5:12 "I wish that those who are pushing you to do so would mutilate themselves! 

 ~Gal. 6: 12-16 "Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. . . They desire to have you circumcised so they may boast in your flesh. . .

 ~Phil. 3:2 "Beware of the dogs! Beware of the evil workers! Beware of the mutilation! For WE are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and put NO confidence in the flesh!"

 ~Col. 2:8-14 "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men...rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form and in Him you have been made whole.. and in Him you were also circumcised, with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, and raised up with Him through faith. And...in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him. . . having cancelled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which were hostile to us. And He has taken them out of the way, having nailed them to the cross."

 ~Lev.19:28 "You shall not make any cuts in your flesh."

 ~Deut. 23: 1 "No one who...has his male genitalia cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord."

What does this friar mean with approving circumcision as a way to prevent HIV?

Does he have no faith that faithful Christian men will not do as the scriptures say, and be faithful and abstain from sex until marriage?

Does he expect for Christian men and women to fornicate and engage in adultery?

But that is a secondary detail; the fact of the matter is that now, thanks to the WHO, thanks to these "mass circumcision campaigns," we have religious leaders telling African Christian masses that they approve of circumcision in lieu of condoms.



Condoms prevent HIV transmission and the transmission of other STDs in both men and women by 95%, not to mention unwanted pregnancy.


Even if the "science" were sound (and it is hopelessly full of holes), circumcision would only "reduce the risk of HIV transmission" by 60%. Women are 50% more likely to acquire HIV from a circumcised partner, as they would be 100% exposed to the viral load in semen. Circumcision also fails to prevent unwanted pregnancy. (The Catholic church loves that part...)

Which is why even the authors of all this so-called "research" cannot stress the use of condoms enough.

Way to go, WHO.

Way to go, "researchers."

Way to go, President Obama.

Way to go, Billary.

Way to go, Bill Gates.

Way to go, Bono.

Is this what you wanted?

When the dust clears, the blood of millions of Africans will be on your hands.