CIN (Circumcision Information Network) 2:18

Introduction
This weekly bulletin is a project of CIN, the Circumcision Information Network (formerly CIN CompuBulletin). The purpose of this weekly bulletin is to educate the public about and to protect children and other non-consenting persons from genital mutilation. Readers are encouraged to copy and redistribute it, and to contribute written material.
--Rich Angell, Editor.

HISTORY OF CIRCUMCISION
Historically, people from some cultures around the world have practiced
various forms of genital mutilation, including circumcision, primarily on the
bodies of unconsenting boys and girls without regard for their human rights.

Nobody knows for sure when this custom began, but there is evidence that it
was practiced as long as 6,000 years ago.  It began among different peoples
for various reasons: as a blood ritual to imitate female menstruation, a
snake ritual to imitate the snake's shedding of its skin, a tribal mark to
ensure identity, a puberty rite to ensure manhood or womanhood, and also as a
way to control or suppress sexual expression, as the removal of genital parts
diminishes sexual enjoyment.

For Jews, circumcision began as a mark of their covenant with God.
 Originally only the tip of the foreskin was removed, but beginning about 150
AD, the procedure was modified to amputate the entire foreskin as a way to
prevent Jewish men from "uncircumcising" themselves in order to obtain the
benefits offered to non-circumcised Gentiles at the time.

Genital mutilation of boys and girls began in the English-speaking countries
during the mid-1800s supposedly to prevent masturbation which at the time was
believed to cause many diseases.  Since then, various rationale have
perpetuated its practice on boys, but all of these have been disproved,
including the claims that circumcision prevents penile and cervical cancer
and the spread of venereal disease.  In fact, the U.S. has both a high
circumcision rate and also an epidemic of venereal diseases and other
diseases which circumcision is supposed to prevent.  

The United States is the only country that continues the practice of routine
circumcision on the majority of baby boys for non-religious reasons,
currently 60%.  In fact, about 85% of the world's males are not circumcised.

Genital mutilation is performed throughout the world in varying degrees of
severity.  Male circumcision, the most widespread today, involves partial or
total amputation of the male foreskin, and is usually done shortly after
birth.  

Female genital mutilation is performed on girls in parts of Africa, the
Middle East, and Asia, as well as in the U.S., Canada, and Europe on
immigrants from the former parts of the world.    

CHILD ABUSE
Hi.  You seem do feel the same way about this subject as I do. Did you read
the [internet] note about the woman who had her 3-1/2-year-old son
circumcized. She was upset because he was peeing on the floor. The woman
should be caned-along with the doctor who performed it.  --J.T.

HE KNOWS BEST
Tonight I had a disappointing conversation with my girl friend and another
friend about circumcision.  The friend said she thought an uncircumcised male
was a disgusting notion.  Being uncircumcised, I took great offense to her
comment, and went looking for information to educate
her a little.  I read your article, and am now armed with a wealth of info to
straighten her out.

My personal opinion is that circumcision is one of the most barbaric,
disgusting, and pointless procedures in North America, and the world.  Hell,
I wash between my legs!!!!  -Thanks!  --J.B.

GOOD OL' U.S. OF A
Where are we in terms of other men on The Planet?  Oh, to envy the men of the
other places on Earth!  A small boy scampers through the slums of Rio de
Janeiro Brazil.  Barely clad, he is still intact.  A German, a Swede, an
Italian strolls through the streets of a European city, never knowing how he
was spared from a knife he has never heard of and never knew.  While from
Bangkok to Shanghai Asians walk intact through the streets.  Our America.
 You've given us everything, but taken away something that we will never
really be able to recover.  --J.H.

FROM AN AUSTRALIAN DOCTOR
You invited overseas comments.  In short, there is no medical reason to
perform a neonatal circumcision.  Recent evidence from the United States
suggests that the incidence of urinary tract infection is higher in
uncircumcised males. One wonders if this may be related to (invasive) methods
of foreskin management and the incidence of "iatrogenic" [doctor-induced]
phimosis.  --John K. Freeman FRACS

ANOTHER BRITISH PERSPECTIVE
I came across the CompuBulletin in the USENET newsgroup sci.med, and I am
responding to your invitation to international readers.

It was not until I started reading USENET news, and noticed articles about
circumcision, that I realized it was so common in North America.  Here in the
UK probably no more than 1 boy in 20 is circumcised.

I am very wary of "routine" medical procedure, as I cannot see anything wrong
with peoples bodies the was they are!  If it ain't broke don't fix it!
 Routine mutilation has even less defense.

Learning of routine circumcision unfavorably influenced by opinion of North
America, in particular the Medical Profession, as it seems to me that the
most likely reason behind routine circumcision is that of financial reward
for the practitioner.  --Steve F., U.K.

UPCOMING ACTIONS & EVENTS
(For details contact NOHARMM, PO Box 460795, San Francisco, CA 94146 (415)
826-9351, unless otherwise noted.)

30 May - 4 June, Vancouver, BC:  Child Health 2000. Rally and leafletting to
raise awareness among 4,000 expected international attendees about genital
mutilation in North America.  The rally is 1 June.  Volunteers and donations
needed.  James Loewen, NOHARMM/Vancouver, (604) 689-9697.

27-29 July, Northern CA: San Francisco Bay Area Film Premier,  Nurses of St.
Vincent - Saying No to Circumcision.  The film showing is Thursday 27 July.
 A strategy meeting-reunion-potluck picnic will be Friday, 28 July.  Contact
NOCIRC (see below) for more information.  On Saturday, there will be a march
to and Rally at Marin General Hospital to commemorate Tenth Anniversary of
nurse Marilyn Milos' forced resignation (for informing parents of the dangers
of circumcision).  For more information about the rally and march, contact
NOHARMM.  The weekend kicks off a national awareness campaign.  

28 Sept.-1 Oct., Northern CA: The Association for Pre- and Perinatal
Psychology & Health will hold its 7th International Congress at the Cathedral
Hill Hotel in San Francisco.  Speakers will include non-circumcision
advocates Marilyn Milos, Jeannine Parvati Baker, David Chamberlain and many
others.  The topic:  "Birth & Violence:  The Societal Impact."  Call (707)
857-3359, X 55.  

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