Circumcision okayed by the American Academy of Pediatrics

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      Circumcision has been a hot topic of late.

      In June, a court in the German city of Cologne ruled that the practice “even when done properly by a doctor with the permission of the parents, should be considered as bodily harm if it is carried out on a boy unable to give his own consent”, according to an article in the Guardian.

      The Canadian Foreskin Awareness Project staged a number of events in Vancouver earlier in August including a Foreskin Pride March.

      Now the American Academy of Pediatrics has weighed in on the subject, making the following statement on its website:

      After a comprehensive review of the scientific evidence, the American Academy of Pediatrics found the health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks, but the benefits are not great enough to recommend universal newborn circumcision. The AAP policy statement published Monday, August 27, says the final decision should still be left to parents to make in the context of their religious, ethical and cultural beliefs.

      This New York Times article delves into the organization’s decision.

      Circumcision is a tradition within Judaism and Islam that was also widely practised in North America but has been declining in recent years.

      Comments

      6 Comments

      jonny .

      Aug 29, 2012 at 5:51pm

      Girls are more at risk for bladder infections. But everyone would agree that it would be inhumane to circumcise girls to reduce their risk of bladder infections.

      Teach your child proper cleanliness habits and there will be no problem. Circumcision is not a reasonable alternative to proper hygiene.

      adam g

      Aug 29, 2012 at 8:46pm

      i wonder if these anti-circ people care if (hypothetically) my infant son watches tv, drinks soda pop, eats meat, is exposed to second-hand smoke, is forced to believe in religion over science, or witnesses violence in the home. why are civilized human beings concerned about my son's penis? if a million litres of oil is spilled into our water supply is an uncircumcised penis going to solve the problem?

      Richard Scalper

      Aug 30, 2012 at 4:31pm

      They brand men like a herd of cows. American men are such wimps to let their sons be subjected to this absurd surgery. If it were women tied
      down & cut, the Feminists would be howling all over the world. The
      male genitals are a cheap commodity. There is no argument too absurd
      for the circumcisers. They insult the appearance of the intact penis,
      claim that circumcision heals everything from body warts to HIV, and
      draw an illogical distinction between female & male genitals. Circumcision is the mark of a slave, not a free man.

      Top Ten Tortures Less Painful Than Circumcision

      10. Get knocked out by Mohammed Ali.
      9. Pull out your fingernails.
      8. Eat a pile of steaming bear crap.
      7. Skin yourself alive.
      6. Fall into a vat of molten iron.
      5. Get run over by a train.
      4. Go through a sausage grinder.
      3. Saw off your legs.
      2. Poke out your eyes.
      1. Go To Hell

      ~Dick-Scalper

      Joules

      Sep 2, 2012 at 12:12am

      Genital mutilation. No thanks.

      Chad R.

      Sep 2, 2012 at 5:08pm

      I HATE that I was circumcised. I was born a normal healthy baby boy, there was no excuse for amputating my most sensitive body part.

      guystone

      Sep 3, 2012 at 11:29am

      I cannot believe this could possibly be a political issue