US Officials to push for Universal Circumcision of Boys to fight HIV/AIDS (What?)

[FrankRep]

Officials Weigh Circumcision to Fight H.I.V. Risk
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/health/policy/24circumcision.html?_r=1&hp


Africa's success has U.S. weighing circumcision to fight HIV risk (http://www.mercurynews.com/politics/ci_13189867)


New York Times / Mercury News
Aug. 23, 2009


Public health officials are considering promoting routine, universal circumcision for all baby boys born in the United States to reduce the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The topic is a delicate one that has already sparked controversy, even though a formal draft of the proposed recommendations, due out from the federal Centers for Disease Control by the end of the year, has yet to be released.

Experts are also mulling whether the surgery should be offered to adult heterosexual men whose sexual practices put them at high risk of infection. But they acknowledge that a circumcision drive in the United States would be unlikely to have a dramatic impact: The procedure does not seem to protect those at greatest risk here, men who have sex with men.

Recently, studies showed that in African countries hard hit by AIDS, men who were circumcised reduced their infection risk by half. But the clinical trials in Africa focused on heterosexual men who are at risk of getting HIV from infected female partners.

For now, the focus of public health officials in this country appears to be on making recommendations for newborns, a prevention strategy that would only pay off many years from now. Critics say it subjects baby boys to medically unnecessary surgery without their consent. But Dr. Peter Kilmarx, chief of epidemiology for the Centers for Disease Control's division of HIV/AIDS prevention, said that any step that could thwart the spread of HIV must be given serious consideration.

He and other experts acknowledged that although the clinical trials of circumcision in Africa had dramatic results, the effects of circumcision in the United States were likely to be more muted because the disease is less prevalent here, spreads through different routes, and the health systems are so disparate as to be incomparable.


SOURCE:
http://www.mercurynews.com/politics/ci_13189867

[BuddyRey]

I don't even have kids, but dammit, if I did, I would just as soon die as let some mouth-breathing bureaucrat mutilate them against their and my will!!! :mad::mad::mad:

[Cowlesy]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/health/policy/24circumcision.html?_r=1&hp


Public health officials are considering promoting routine circumcision for all baby boys born in the United States to reduce the spread of H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS.

The topic is a delicate one that has already generated controversy, even though a formal draft of the proposed recommendations, due out from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by the end of the year, has yet to be released.

[Dr.3D]

They sure don't like leaving people alone do they?
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=207002

[lynnf]

They sure don't like leaving people alone do they?
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=207002

right: torture, enslavement, and forced vaccinations aren't enough, they have to
add mutilation to the list.


lynn

[Bodhi]

Wow, such BS, the US really needs to stop the practice of genital mutilation. I am a victim of this horrible practice and I for one would like my foreskin back.

Mutilating male genitalia is not going to stop the spread of aids, we all know this. I would bet if we could somehow get the stats, we would find that more males had their genitalia cut off on accident than have contracted HIV because they have the genitals intact.

[Cowlesy]

They sure don't like leaving people alone do they?
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=207002

whoops sorry i made a duplicate thread

will merge

[Liberty Star]

I had heard rumor recently that number of Muslim/Jewish congress members had quietly approached 50 number out of total 400 or so membership. If such a signifigant portion of US Congress is now Muslim/Jewish, is anyone surprised that this is happening now?

Go Iraqi freedom.

[LBennett76]

I specifically chose not to have my son circumcised. Absolutely no reason to be doing it and subjecting babies to pain like that. My ob/gyn was sooooo happy I didn't do it too. Forced circumcision would have angered me quite a bit.

[Austin]

I specifically chose not to have my son circumcised. Absolutely no reason to be doing it and subjecting babies to pain like that. My ob/gyn was sooooo happy I didn't do it too. Forced circumcision would have angered me quite a bit.

Thank you.

[TCE]

AIDS=A Legit conspiracy. Read Inventing the AIDS Virus by Peter Duesberg.

[Nirvikalpa]

I refuse to have my baby boys subjugated to that torture.

This is an outrage. Doctors should not support this.

[thasre]

Maybe it's TMI, but as someone who is circumcised, I can't really say I feel like I've been "tortured" or anything, so I think it's counterproductive to use that sort of rhetoric when opposing this sort of thing.

However, I think it's unambiguously a rejection of basic human dignity to force ALL MEN to be circumcised at birth out of some vague, ridiculous, "public health" scare that will have NO impact on the spread of HIV and even if it did it would still be grossly wrong for the government to enforce such a thing. I'm not planning on having my future sons circumcised anyway, but if I were, I'd change my mind just out of a rejection of such ridiculous paternalistic nonsense.

So... basically what I'm saying is... I think the appropriate tack to take with this is as an issue of a tyrannical government disregarding parental rights, rather than portraying it as "torture" for baby boys...

[Dr.3D]

Maybe it's TMI, but as someone who is circumcised, I can't really say I feel like I've been "tortured" or anything, so I think it's counterproductive to use that sort of rhetoric when opposing this sort of thing.


Of course, quite often it is said, "one never misses what one never had."

[Flash]

It's the dumbest thing in the world. Some stupid people can't help themselves from having sex with everyone they meet, so the rest of the world must be circumcised so the % of people with aids may slightly decrease. I say "may" because there are studies that show the complete opposite when it comes to circumcision and aids.

[Yieu]

Stop Male Genital Mutilation! :mad:

If it is a crime to remove a child's fingers for no medical reason, it should be just as much a crime to remove a child's foreskin barring a serious medical condition (which would be extremely rare, if not nearly impossible). Stop performing cosmetic surgery on newborns. Stop amputating important, useful, functional body parts from babies!

This is an outrage. And here I thought we were making progress against this barbaric practice.

http://mgmbill.org/
http://www.circumstitions.com/

[South Park Fan]

I had heard rumor recently that number of Muslim/Jewish congress members had quietly approached 100 number out of total 400 or so membership. If about one quarter of US Congress is now Muslim/Jewish, is anyone surprised that this is happening now?

Go Iraqi freedom.

Bullshit: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/jewcong111.html

[orafi]

Wow, such BS, the US really needs to stop the practice of genital mutilation. I am a victim of this horrible practice and I for one would like my foreskin back.

Mutilating male genitalia is not going to stop the spread of aids, we all know this. I would bet if we could somehow get the stats, we would find that more males had their genitalia cut off on accident than have contracted HIV because they have the genitals intact.

You can get it back

http://www.cirp.org/pages/restore.html

[Liberty Star]

Bullshit: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/jewcong111.html

Ok, I stand corrected, have edited my post pending checkup of muslim members of Congress. Numbers in your link are almost half than total non-Christian number I had heard. Need to verify this but I may have mistaken non-Christian Congress stats as Muslim-Jewish number, just speculating for now.

Muslims/Jews are about 3-5% of US population, that is still pretty healthy achievement relative to their populations size as democratic instutions tend to be measured in representative terms.

[Scofield]

As a circumcised male, I can honestly say I am glad my parents had me go through the procedure. I hear it's much easier to clean than a non-circumcised penis, and I personally think it looks better (in a non-homosexual way...not that there's anything wrong with that ;)), so I am happy with it. As for the "torture" thing, I was an infant when it was done so I can't really say it was torture. I don't remember it.

I plan to circumcise my son, but should I be forced to do so? Absolutely not.

[Yieu]

Circumcision does not prevent HIV/AIDS: http://www.circumstitions.com/HIV.html

[Yieu]

As a circumcised male, I can honestly say I am glad my parents had me go through the procedure. I hear it's much easier to clean than a non-circumcised penis, and I personally think it looks better (in a non-homosexual way...not that there's anything wrong with that ;)), so I am happy with it. As for the "torture" thing, I was an infant when it was done so I can't really say it was torture. I don't remember it.

I plan to circumcise my son, but should I be forced to do so? Absolutely not.

Much easier to clean? How hard is it to grab some soap and lather up? You were told a myth... :)

[Natalie]

As a circumcised male, I can honestly say I am glad my parents had me go through the procedure. I hear it's much easier to clean than a non-circumcised penis, and I personally think it looks better (in a non-homosexual way...not that there's anything wrong with that ;)), so I am happy with it. As for the "torture" thing, I was an infant when it was done so I can't really say it was torture. I don't remember it.

I plan to circumcise my son, but should I be forced to do so? Absolutely not.

Exactly. If I have sons, I will also have them circumcised. But it should be up to the parents to choose, not the government.

[muzzled dogg]

a foreskin extraction bill would prolly pass

[Yieu]

Exactly. If I have sons, I will also have them circumcised. But it should be up to the parents to choose, not the government.

It should be up to the individual to chose, not their parents or the government. If we do not even have a right to a complete body, what DO we have a right to?!

Should the parent chose if their child keeps their fingers and toes as well?

Harumph!

[muzzled dogg]

and i would never cut anything off of my child

[Austin]

It should be up to the individual to chose, not their parents or the government. If we do not even have a right to a complete body, what DO we have a right to?!

Should the parent chose if their child keeps their fingers and toes as well?

Harumph!

I have to say I agree. I sure as hell will not be circumcising my son...

[Yieu]

There is honestly no legitimate reason to circumcise a child, perhaps unless you are Jewish or Muslim (even then, let the child decide when they are an adult, instead of robbing them of important anatomy!), but otherwise there is absolutely no justifiable reason to perform this amputation/cosmetic surgery on children!

[Austin]

Not even their hair? :eek:


Most Christians in this country are circumcised too...

Not all... Christians that understand the NT should understand that it isn't necessary to receive the grace of God.. but that's a whole 'nother discussion. Regardless, just because a majority of people do something, doesn't mean that it is morally justifiable.

[Yieu]

Not even their hair? :eek:


Most Christians in this country are circumcised too...

Not for religious reasons! The Christian religion does not say to circumcise -- in fact Jesus said not to. If a Christian circumcises their child out of thinking it is in their religion to, they are mistaken.

Also, there are no medical benefits to circumcision. Unless you are Jewish or Muslim, there is no reason to do it at all.

[Yieu]

Here is the Penn & Teller's Bullshit! episode on circumcision:

NSFW NSFW NSFW NSFW


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIZLna_uzLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzBJoW-iJ6E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfkq9EIprYY

[BarryDonegan]

L2READ THE CONSTITUTION, NUBS

Section 8: The Congress shall have power
To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
To borrow money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate the amount of foreskin, and to mutilate thereof the genitalia of anyone with too much
To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;

[LittleLightShining]

I specifically chose not to have my son circumcised. Absolutely no reason to be doing it and subjecting babies to pain like that. My ob/gyn was sooooo happy I didn't do it too. Forced circumcision would have angered me quite a bit.My boys are whole, too.


As a circumcised male, I can honestly say I am glad my parents had me go through the procedure. I hear it's much easier to clean than a non-circumcised penis, and I personally think it looks better (in a non-homosexual way...not that there's anything wrong with that ;)), so I am happy with it. As for the "torture" thing, I was an infant when it was done so I can't really say it was torture. I don't remember it.

I plan to circumcise my son, but should I be forced to do so? Absolutely not.As the mother of 3 whole boys there's no issue with cleaning. I won't go into detail but both my doctor and I was nervous with my first because of the misinformation which you seem to also have heard. 12 years and 2 more boys later my kids have never had an issue with "cleaning" themselves.

Also, from what I understand, bald penises are much less sensitive than whole ones. Feeling ftw!

[BlackTerrel]

Public health officials are considering promoting routine, universal circumcision for all baby boys born in the United States to reduce the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Big difference between promoting and forcing no? I don't see any evidence that they're going to forcibly snip baby males.

[Rocket80]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yieu View Post
It should be up to the individual to chose, not their parents or the government. If we do not even have a right to a complete body, what DO we have a right to?!

Should the parent chose if their child keeps their fingers and toes as well?

Harumph!
I have to say I agree. I sure as hell will not be circumcising my son...

+1

If he wants to when he is 18, he can go right ahead. God knows why anyone would do that tho....

[Matthew Zak]

TMI alert:

I'm of the non-surgically fucked with variety, and I would have it no other way. I practice good hygiene therefor it is never dirtier than our trimmed brethren. I wouldn't have remembered the pain consciously, but I'm glad that I don't have to wonder what kind of subconscious effects it would have had on me had it been sliced when I was a newborn.

[catdd]

This one-size-fits-all, do-it-or-else, government can kiss my ass.