What can be done to stop/prevent circumcision on little babies? Are there laws the government can pass to help prevent and discourage circumcision without outright banning it completely? My idea is to ban delivery room physicians from being the same ones performing the procedure on the baby they deliver. This would remove any conflict of interest, because doctors often want to perform as many procedures as possible to maximize their incomes. Circumcision is an easy 200-400 for them, just for cutting off a little baby's exterior genital tissue. At the very least there should be a law to deter hospitals from "pushing" the procedure onto parents. For example, the law could state that the hospital must ask both parents together before the birth whether they want their baby's foreskin cut off if it is a boy. The hospital would have to ask the question, not tell the parents that they are going to do the procedure and then slip the consent form into a pile of other forms that need to be signed, as is often the case. The hospital would have to offer the parents a little informative brochure, summarizing both sides of the argument for and against circumcision, before they made their decission. For example, many states require that pregnant teenagers be given such a brochure of the pros and cons before they get an abortion. This is easy way to prevent some abortions while still giving the mother the right to choose. Alternatively, there could be a law forbidding the hospital to even suggest doing a circumcision on babies without foreskin complications, and clearly making it illegal to do a circumcision without the specific unsolicited request of both parents. This would still do much to stop nearly all circumcisions, while not offending certain groups that feel strongly that their child should be circumcised. Does anyone else have any other ideas for how to stop circumcision? It's easy to say "let's just ban it", but so far there has been too much resistance to getting this passed. Perhaps we need to approach this issue more in the same way we dealt with cigarettes, to do everything possible to discourage it. This topic is not about whether or not circumcision is a bad thing, please keep the discussion focused on potential ways of stopping the practice.
In the USA, the jewish community seems to be by far the most outspoken opponent of a ban on circumcision. It is the jews who are standing in the way: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/23/circumcision-ban-california_n_934348.html Perhaps more attention needs to be directed at the jewish community to get them to change their attitudes. There is a very small jewish minority trying to get their community to change: http://www.jewsagainstcircumcision.org/ We all know that jews tend to be disproportionately influential in politics and the media. For change to happen, America needs the support of its jewish community.
It's child protection against an unnecessary and irreversible medical procedure which they do not consent to. Similar to abortion. The right has always supported individual human rights, whether it's the right to one's property or the right to life. The right to one's god-given foreskin is a natural extension of this.
I love it when so called small government conservatives cry like babies for government assistance when its their sacred cow!! lol
Actually, at least in America, it is the left which has been active in pushing the issue. San Francisco tried to ban circumcision, and that is one of the most socially progressive cities there is. It gets rather more complicated in other progressive cities like New York, because of the high concentration of jewish residents and the fact that the left relies so heavily on support from the jewish community. In Europe, many in the left also want to stop circumcison, but fear loss of support from all their muslim voters. It is very much different in europe because most of the families circumcising their children are muslim. Most conservatives really do not care, but I am sure many would support a circumcision ban, if for no other reason than tossing away the welcome mat on islam.
i don't get the same enjoyment when they call for more government interference in our lives because they believe in it. its when you guys do it that i really enjoy!!
It's not about government inferference. It's about protecting inherent rights. Conservatives have always wanted to protect property rights and the rights of the unborn. Why should it be so much different to protect vulnerable babies from irreversible amputation of a body part ? Your personal rights end when they infringe upon the rights of another.
