[ExI] Circumcision

spike spike66 at att.net
Mon Jun 13 13:10:33 UTC 2016



... On Behalf Of Keith Henson
Subject: [ExI] Circumcision

>...My daughter and son in law decided to circumcise my grandson.  I had no
idea this was still being done, my error in not keeping up with this frankly
disgusting subject...It was also presented to me after it happened in the
worst way possible.  I won't say a lot more except I have a 420 card which
helps a lot with back spasms, but makes a person particularly sensitive to
emotionally upsetting news...Keith
_______________________________________________


Keith, thanks for sharing this.  Do keep up your courage sir.

When my son was born nearly 10 years ago, this topic caused the biggest
upheaval in our family's history.  My parents stayed out of it, but my
bride's parents and sibs (and their brides) were unanimous that this should
be done.  I was the lone ranger on that topic, but I was adamant as all
hell, and won that battle, with 9 fors and 1 very stubborn and determined
against.  At the end of it all, I am the dad, and I pulled rank.  

I made the case at the time that we don't have the technology for undoing
that (stem cell tech is coming but isn't there yet (otherwise I would undo
mine.))  I argued this was not our decision to make, it is his.  That one
worked out pretty well, for now that my son is coming to the point where he
must decide, he is appalled at the notion.  

I recognize that boys must decide this before they reach adulthood but I
would argue now with good evidence, that a 9 yr old boy definitely can make
an informed decision on that topic.  Given that opportunity to choose and
given a break from social pressures, my guess is the circumcision rate would
go from half to half a percent.

This brings up an interesting related question about the nature of
suffering.  An argument was presented to me (by a doctor who was
respectfully neutral (so he was not advocating for the argument, only
introducing me to it (and I do commend the Stanford medical staff involved
(all of whom were perfectly and admirably neutral always)))) that babies
suffer at the time but don't remember it since the neuronal pathways are
being formed and reformed.  The notion is that the suffering at the time
doesn't count if you don't remember it.  I found this whole notion so very
annoying and made my position clear: babies do suffer while the circumcision
is being performed and it damn well does count.

spike





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