See if you can follow this train (wreck) of thought...

[Fyrestorm]

I'm watching all the coverage of the Anna Nicole drug arrests...

There is a lot of talk about her using prescription drugs rather than illegal drugs and whether this makes a difference...does it really matter if you buy the drugs from the pharmacy or on the street. If you are abusing them, you are still abusing them...so....

It got me thinking about circumcision ...here's how I got there...

Just because doctors suggest it, doesn't make it a good thing...Anna Nicole's doctor (supposedly) prescribed drugs she did not need and in quantities she certainly did not need and she (the doctor) is in major trouble and Anna is dead...shouldn't a doctor be in just as much trouble (if not more) for prescribing and preforming surgery that is harmful?

Howard is in trouble for enabling the drug abuse, should the parents be held responsible for consenting to the surgery?

I hope this made sense..if not, please ask and I'll try to clarify...this was all mind of free thought

[MommytoB]

i say doctors should be in trouble because they do the surgery they make the parents assume it's a needed to be done surgery by not informed parents .

Plus, the doctors need to get fully educated on foreskin if they were rarely any circ's would be performed.

[latinalonestar]

I follow. Just like that woman that wanted to have the biggest boobs. No doctors in the US would do the implants b/c they said it wasn't safe. She ended up going to Brazil to have her KK breast implants. Only difference is that she could give informed consent, unlike and infant.

[PuppyFluffer]

I follow your line of thinking.

I believe the responsibility lies 99% on the medical community for soliciting unnecessary cosmetic surgery on a non consenting individual.

You cannot ignore that the genuine ignorance of parents is responsible for a great many circumcisions as well. But where does this lack of knowledge come from? You don't know what you don't know...so when when you are immersed in a circumcised culture, you just think there has to be a reason for it.....a darn good reason to do a painful procedure to a newborn. I am extremely cautious in placing blame on parents who think they are doing the right thing for their child.

It's the responsibility of those of us who know the truth of circumcision to educate those who don't, in the manner that we feel comforable with, so that the general population (in a circ happy culture) learns the function and benefit of leaving a child whole.

I am not speaking in specifics here. I am not trying to imply that it's the fault of intactivists that children are still being circumcised....that we are not doing enough. I am just saying that when you have knowledge, I think there is some sort of obligation to share that knowledge - in a manner that you feel comfortable with - to help people learn. Education is what is going to bring ric rates down in the USA.

[NamastePlatypus]

I agree Karen, 8 out of 10 moms that I know who had it done at no idea what was done. Once they learned they were horrified, full of guilt and left future sons intact. They are now out there with me, spreading the truth of it. I started a no circ in AR, got together a list of peds that will not do it or avocate for it. It is a start.
It is amazing how you find paralells to it. DH does all the time now as well.

[PuppyFluffer]

That's great Platypus! It's all about education.

As for finding the parallels, I agree, I find them in lots of places too.

[Fyrestorm]

Glad I'm not alone! I was thinking my thought process was waaaay out there.

I agree that in most cases it's the lack of education that is at fault (that and doctors more interested in $$ than in ethics and the truth)

But, does the fact that Howard Stern may not have been intending to kill Anna Nicole (or even thinking he was doing the right thing) absolve him? Does the fact the parents choose not to learn the truth (or be blind to it) absolve them?

I talk to mothers all the time (I live in a very high circ rate area) who spent months deciding on nursery decore' and which stroller...even which pain relief to use during labor, but never looked at anything on genital mutilation. It's not like the info isn't out there...you practically trip over it on any parenting site.