Calling it Male Genital Mutilation is going too far, it shows utter disregard for enduring religious traditions of Jews, Muslims and others comprising nearly a fourth of humanity. Mind you, it is not a practice of a vanishing cult that is here today and gone tomorrow.
The right is obsessed with anti-everything; Abortion, Civil rights, Gays and Lesbians, Health Care, Hijab, Immigration, Mormons, Peace talks and Sharia among other things. The left does not want to be left behind in the competition to be offensive and negative.
The Jews cannot call this Anti-Semitism as the Muslims will spoil it by joining them and a new term has to be invented. The left may call this Anti-Circumcision, and add a feather to their portfolio of Anti-items.
It is time for the moderate majority to speak up for one's freedom to eat, wear and believe and not let anyone dictate the other, we are not a Taliban nation. So I say to them, guys we will give-up ours but you keep yours.
We have to speak out against this move through the ballot box in November this year. We cannot let anyone infringe on the freedom of the other, where does it end?
Male circumcision involves removal of the foreskin from the penis and every Jewish and Muslim male is circumcised. Jewish tradition is carried out within eight days of the birth of a child signifying a covenant between Jewish boys and God. The practice started with Abraham, who was circumcised when he was 99 as a sign of fidelity to God. There is no age limit set for Muslim Males although every Muslim is circumcised, it is not a requirement in the Quran but a practice carried on. My brother and I were circumcised when we were 5 and 8 years old respectively. The circumcision healed within three days, we did not miss a bit, as if it was never there.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), global estimates suggest that 30% of males are circumcised, of whom 68% are Muslim. The prevalence of circumcision varies mostly with religious affiliation, and sometimes culture. Most circumcisions are performed during adolescence for cultural or religious reasons; in some countries they are more commonly performed during infancy.
Jerusalem Post writes, "The measure, if it passes, would make it a misdemeanor to circumcise a boy before the age of 18, with a maximum penalty of one year's jail time or a $1,000 fine. The ban would allow circumcision only for medical reasons, without religious exceptions.
There have been numerous justifications for circumcision including health, quoting correlations between decreased incidence of HIV and circumcision.
Health is a justification and not the original religious requirement, let Jews and Muslims practice what has been their practice for thousands of years. We don't need justification for a practice that is 3000 years old. There should be no restrictions and people should have their freedom to practice their religion with or without the foreskin.