Anyone in Seattle? Last Days has a pro-circ blurb

[sugarbeth]

The alternative weekly, The Stranger, printed a blurb about the HIV study in the Last Days column. (july 20th issue)

a snippet:

God knows that circumcision is, for all but the exceedingly unlucky, the worst thing that will ever happen to one's genitals. However, losing your immune system is worse, and here's hoping Africa follows through with its 10-year Harvest of Foreskins.

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=44505

I'm so disappointed.

[paquerette]

Maybe a visit to their offices should be added to the program for the Symposium. That should get some attention.

[soygurl]

I'm really surprized that Dan Savage (the editor in chief of the paper, I believe) didn't keep that out of the paper. Maybe that is out of his hands, but I'd think he would have done SOMETHING. He is quite anti-circ, and has mentioned it several times in his collum. I guess being gay overrides being anti-circ...
I'm gonna write an angry letter :

~Kelsie

[sugarbeth]

I was surprised Dan Savage let that in, too! I'm trying to come up with something to write. I usually love David Schmader's column. Just not today.

[baybee]

Seattle is where the Docs Opposing Circ offices are. I'm certainly going to sick them on to this.

Dan Savage and his partner adopted a boy and kept him intact. Walks his talk. Ignorance abounds which is why we write letters. . . .right gang?!!! Can someone get us the email address for this rag?
Baybee

[sugarbeth]

[e-mail]

[charmander]

Well, if Dan Savage is any kind of a decent editor, and I think he is, he will let his columnists write their columns and stay out of it. I don't think it is his job to dictate how his employees should think.

Are you guys familiar with the Stranger at all? They don't exactly censor themselves. In fact, they try to, and succeed at, being quite provocative.

That said, I think letters to the editor are in order regarding the very flippant opinion by David Schmader. But not to Dan Savage for "allowing" it to be in his paper.

[baybee]

Okay, here's the letter I sent to that letters to the ed address:
Dear Sirs:

The pushers of African circumcision as a treatment to prevent AIDS must have a good publicist. The story started last November in Newsweek and has continued to bubble up here and there in the press despite the fact that the "study" has
never been published in any sort of bona fide medical journal. Circumcision has historically been a cure looking for some
disease to fix and it remains so today. Imagine if anyone was thinking of cutting the warm, wet erogenous zones of African women? There would be an outcry heard around the world.

The world's most respected medical investigative agency is the Cochrane Database. This database reviews all the published medical literature and makes recommendations based of rigourous randomized controlled trials. Here's what they say about
the African circumcision theory:

The Cochrane Review of all medical research on using circumcision as a means to prevent AIDS has given it a thumbs down.
(begin quote)

http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab003362.html

Authors' conclusions

We found insufficient evidence to support an interventional effect of male circumcision on HIV acquisition in heterosexual men. The results from existing observational studies show a strong epidemiological association between male circumcision and prevention of HIV, especially among high-risk groups. However, observational studies are inherently limited by confounding which is unlikely to be fully adjusted for. In the light of forthcoming results from RCTs, the value of IPD analysis of the included studies is doubtful. The results of these trials will need to be carefully considered before circumcision is implemented as a public health intervention for prevention of sexually transmitted HIV.(end quote)

Please go back to defending the precious prepuce.

Yours truly,

[trmpetplaya]

I'm a bit disappointed in them.... I will be sending them the link to that comic that was posted a while ago The comic is just the sort of thing that they would publish too! If they're willing to not censor incorrect info then they should be even more willing to not censor correct info (especially Dan... goodness... has he been slacking on the job or something?).

love and peace.

[baybee]

Brilliant idea to send the cartoon!!! Why didn't I think of that???!!!
It says it so well.
Baybee

[soygurl]

Originally Posted by cmd

Well, if Dan Savage is any kind of a decent editor, and I think he is, he will let his columnists write their columns and stay out of it. I don't think it is his job to dictate how his employees should think.

Are you guys familiar with the Stranger at all? They don't exactly censor themselves. In fact, they try to, and succeed at, being quite provocative.

That said, I think letters to the editor are in order regarding the very flippant opinion by David Schmader. But not to Dan Savage for "allowing" it to be in his paper.

That's what I was thinking... still sucks that David wrote that stuff though!

Oh and thanks to the OP for posting this! I'm not living in Seattle right now, and I really miss the stranger... a little bit less at this particular moment... but I really DO like the paper in general. Anyway thanks!

~Kelsie

[Revamp]

Originally Posted by baybee

Can someone get us the email address for this rag?

The difficulty is that The Stranger is far from a rag, it is normally a brilliant read and full of wise yet witty words.

[baybee]

Oh, sorry for calling it that. Just my "reaction" and not based on anything real in the universe. Cancel, cancel.
Baybee

[trmpetplaya]

Originally Posted by Revamp

The difficulty is that The Stranger is far from a rag, it is normally a brilliant read and full of wise yet witty words.

Yeah... it would be much easier to deal with if it WAS a rag...

love and peace.

[maxmama]

Dan is the shit. David Schmader manages to piss me off at least once a month, which I think is pretty much the point.

I still love the Stranger! I met DH when he was delivering for them and seeing the little Stranger boxes around town still gives me a bizarre little thrill. V. sad.

[Ruthla]

HARVEST of forskins???

[TigerTail]

Sorry, I don't care what else he's written, he's lost me with that. Well-meaning, ignorant, circ-promoting mommies don't get a free pass from me; neither do well-meaning, ignorant, circ-promoting gay men.

'Harvest'. <indignant snort>

[trmpetplaya]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

HARVEST of forskins???

(intact) Dh thought it was FUNNY I then asked him if a harvest of labias was funny and he said that he guessed it wasn't so funny after all...

love and peace.