Have you all seen this?

[Kathryn]

This showed up in my e-mail this morning and as much as I just didn't want to read it I couldn't help it. It still sounds pretty biased to me, but maybe it's just because I'm so against it. What do ya'll think?
Circumcision pro's and con's

[~Jenna~]

Smegma isn't bacteria, is it?? Why does that article say it is?

eta: i looked it up and here is what smegma acutally is:
living cells are constantly growing toward the surface, only to undergo fatty degeneration in their turn and separate off as freshly formed smegma.

[~Jenna~]

And why does it say that smegma causes infections? I thought it was important and kept the glans moist?

[MonicaS]

I saw several bits of mis-information in that article. I mean come on...

In uncircumcised males, bacteria called “smegma” can collect under the foreskin and cause infection. But uncircumcised boys can be taught to wash underneath the foreskin (once it retracts at about age five) to prevent infection.

If smegma was a bacteria, causing infections then how on earth do all of us females make it a single day w/out antibiotics?

I hate, hate, hate it when people give a general age for retraction. That's like saying all girls should have breasts by the time they're 13 yrs old. :

There were other things, but I feel it would be redundant for me to go through them all. Other people have more interesting ways of putting the info anyway.

[Nathan1097]

Originally Posted by ~Jenna~

Smegma isn't bacteria, is it?? Why does that article say it is?

eta: i looked it up and here is what smegma acutally is:
living cells are constantly growing toward the surface, only to undergo fatty degeneration in their turn and separate off as freshly formed smegma.

Wow. Where'd you get that definition?

[Mamm2]

I thought that was a terrible article. Biased and full of misinformation. I did a little research and the author is Jewish.

I also thought it was interesting that there were ads for the circumcision center. A center that will circumcise you. There was also ads linking to ebay selling circumcision instruments, etc..


Just follow the money...

[My2Matthews]

I wrote to the editor about that article. I would love to see it corrected, but something tells me it will never be.

[~Jenna~]

Originally Posted by Nathan1097

Wow. Where'd you get that definition?

from http://www.cirp.org/library/normal/wright1/

[Kathryn]

I'm not surprised he's Jewish. I noticed all the misinformation too. Sad isn't it?

[Sustainer]

"Smegma is probably the most misunderstood, most unjustifiably maligned substance in nature. Smegma is clean, not dirty, and is beneficial and necessary. It moisturizes the glans and keeps it smooth, soft, and supple. Its antibacterial and antiviral properties keep the penis clean and healthy. All mammals produce smegma. Thomas J. Ritter, MD, underscored its importance when he commented, 'The animal kingdom would probably cease to exist without smegma.'"

--Paul Fleiss
The Case Against Circumcision

[earthmama007]

I just wrote a comment back to them.

How do we know the author was Jewish??? Just wondering because I wasn't sure. :

[Mamm2]

If you scroll to the bottom, it asks if you want to see all of her articles. Click on that link, and it will list all the articles she has written. Look at her first article and read it...

[earthmama007]

ohhh! Got it!

[Kathryn]

Earthmama, what'd you say? I'd love to know if you would be willing to share it.

[My2Matthews]

Hey, is it just me, or did they change the article? It doesn't even mention smegma now.

[earthmama007]

Hmmm...wow! I think they did change it.

I wish I would have saved it, here is what I can think of now.

'I am not sure that the parents coming to your site are getting a neutral look at circumcison let alone ALL of the facts. Smegma is very useful and necessary to keep the penis clean as well as lubricated. Vaginas have smegma and it is there to keep the PH levels normal (as it does for the penis). I am not sure where your author got her information but it would probably be in the best interest of the families coming to the site to get the correct information. Maybe you can work with your team to have a more informed article.'

Something like that. I wish I could have wrote more but I was on my way out.

[Nathan1097]

Originally Posted by My2Matthews

Hey, is it just me, or did they change the article? It doesn't even mention smegma now.

Here's what it says... all they did was remove 'smegma" and keep "bacteria breeding". Sheesh.... Some bacteria are GOOD ya know?!?! Anything to malign the foreskin I guess.....

A circumcised penis may also be easier to keep clean. In uncircumcised males, bacteria can breed under the foreskin and cause infection, though this is not normally a frequent problem. Uncircumcised boys can be taught to wash underneath the foreskin (once it retracts at about age five) to prevent infection.

[wendy1221]

What is with you people? Is the first thing you do when you read a pro-circ article to try and figure out whether or not the writer is Jewish? I think a non-Jew is just as likely, if not more likely, to write such an article. I am sick and tired of the anti-Semitic attitudes I see in this particular forum! "Oh! The writer's Jewish! That figures! Jews just want everyone circ'd." Yeah. Let me tell you, when my first ds was born, the ped on call came in and said "I see on your chart that you're still undecided about circ (I was dead against it, ds's father was all for it). I do not circ babies. There are no proven medical benefits and I don't think it's ethical to perform elective surgury on an infant. I'm sure you could find someone to do it if you really want to." Guess what? She was Jewish! My parents FREAKED when they found out my ds1 wasn't circ'd. They completely went nuts when my sister didn't circ her 2 sons. And when I found out I it was a boy when I was pg w/ #2, they said and I quote "well, since dh is Jewish, I guess you'll have to circ this one." My mom is Roman Catholic and my dad is Methodist. However, my JEWISH in-laws, when they found out we hadn't circ'd ds2 had completely different reactions. My mil seemed very happy. She said she thought circ was barbaric and hadn't been able to find the cojurage to save her boys from it. Fil said he thought there were medical benefits and after dh explained how there are always new ones when the old ones are disproven, he was fine with it. What is with you people? I don't think religion has ANYTHING to do with this debate. Some people are just close-minded and stubborn, no matter what their religion is!

[Sustainer]

It is not bigotry. Jewish people are statistically more likely to be pro-circ, because circ has been a part of their culture for a long time.

[earthmama007]

Just waiting to see how long this thread stays... :

FTR wendy, I am not one to think that all Jews are circumcising. I know some who have chosen to have a naming ceremony without the cutting. More people are becoming informed irreguardless of their faith. The more you know the better you do I always say. It isn't always that people are close minded, it sometimes is the fact that they just don't know all the information on the subject.