[TigerTail]

my dh saw this when i was making dinner, so it's not first-hand, but he got pissed enough, i wanted to share.

the ubiquitous bris video (no, no fainters this time) had the 4 yr old brother being held up to watch his baby brother's circ... as the mohel prepared to cut, the little boy cried out, 'no! don't do it!'
the adults all laughed at him.

wow, that's hysterical. can't imagine how that missed the 10 grand prize.

(um, this isn't considered 'religious discussion' just for mentioning circ in the bris context, right? 'cause if my jewish dh doesn't have the right to object, i don't know who does.)

that poor little boy- that poor baby.

suse

 

[Tanibani]

from the mouths of babes

 

[Frankly Speaking]

That child's reaction is the normal reaction. We must be conditioned to reject that reaction and suppress it.

Frank

 

[Ilaria]

Oh yeah, that's really funny!
Would they have shown the same if it had FGM in AFrica?

 

[calngavinsmom]

I saw that too

. Isn't it funny that a four year old has more of a sense of compassion than anyone else there?

Tara

 

[Sarah]

Pshew- I sure am glad that I tuned in late! I think I would have barfed with nerves.

Two weeks ago I think it was there was another circ joke on AFV... it was not a part of the video, but a joke from the host, I was in the other room- so I din't see what the kid did that was the prompt for the "funny" comment (I'm assuming it was a crotch grab)

*the Dr. called... he said we have to do the circumcision again..."*

Ha ha... how many times DOES that call get placed?

And... think about it- the JOKE was based on having to do a second circumcision... not a first one... I mean- the same expression reaction would have sufficed if the "joke" (not funny) was, "The Dr. called and he said we have to circumcise you!" but apparently in AFV land- all the boys ARE already circumcised- so you can't make a joke about having to circumcise a boy the first time, you have to circumcise him a SECOND time. UGH!

Love Sarah

 

[TigerTail]

my thought too, ilaria. i would be inclined to write them and tell them the exact same thing. (i'd feel weird because i didn't see it, but i will ask my dh to do so. i'm sure most people would get a 'oh, they're just anti-semetic' brush-off from the producers, but perhaps coming from someone with a pretty obviously jewish last name it will make them think for 5 seconds.)

suse

 

[merpk]

I'd be annoyed by that video, too. (Notwithstanding the fact that someone held up someone else to see the bris, that tells me that they're not particularly deeply connected to the ritual aspects of bris milah. But that's not the source of my annoyance ...)

And having a Jewish name has no bearing on your view of this. I am offended by their showing the video because it ridicules a deeply-held part of my faith. And think the showing of it is more "anti-Semitic" than any complaints about it would be. As I felt about the infamous "Seinfeld" bris episode ...

The comment about "the child having more of a sense of compassion than anyone else there" did disturb me, though. Have found a lot of anti-circ people (and some of my best friends are, to coin a phrase) in the world have a lot less compassion for a lot of other things. And most traditional observers of bris milah are not in any way "pro-circ," they're pro bris milah.

So please, let's not judge someone's heart by the contents of their (or their sons') underwear.

 

[calngavinsmom]

Quote:

[ The comment about "the child having more of a sense of compassion than anyone else there" did disturb me, though. Have found a lot of anti-circ people (and some of my best friends are, to coin a phrase) in the world have a lot less compassion for a lot of other things. And most traditional observers of bris milah are not in any way "pro-circ," they're pro bris milah. So please, let's not judge someone's heart by the contents of their (or their sons') underwear. [/B]

I'm sorry I offended you by my comment. I was just meaning the people laughing at the time of the bris (at the childs comment) were showing a lack of compassion towards the baby involved. Although I still don't agree with circumcision of any type (religious or not) I did not mean to say that the people themselves were lacking compassion because they were involved in a bris, just that in that particular situation they were.

Did not mean to offend sorry,
Tara

 

[alissakae]

My 13 and 9 year olds LOVE to watch AFV, so I usually watch it with them. I'm glad we missed this particular episode, but it seems pretty typical for that show doesn't it? My kids have noticed their penis obsession enough to mention it several times. THey just LOVE those shots in the crotch a little TOO much, don't they? Then add in these circumcision incidents. It looks like somebody at that show thinks about male genitalia a little TOO much, and with more than a little hostility. We could do quite the armchair psychoanalysis here.

 

[Xenogenesis]

Quote:

Originally posted by suseyblue . . . but perhaps coming from someone with a pretty obviously jewish last name it will make them think for 5 seconds.

Quote:

Originally posted by merpk And having a Jewish name has no bearing on your view of this.

Play nice . . .

 

[Xenogenesis]

Quote:

Originally posted by alissakae We could do quite the armchair psychoanalysis here.

"We could do quite the armchair psychoanalysis" . . .

edited cuz ah missed a "sis"

 

[TigerTail]

i don't know if i missed something here (was the 'playing nice' directed to me?), but i just meant that people who might be inclined to judge an unfavorable letter to their show regarding a bris as simply coming from antisemites, might be forced to rethink their position.

people do protest circumcision for humanitarian reasons instead, and i thought my husband sending the letter would eliminate any confusion as to motive on his part. our last name IS unambiguously jewish- was there a problem in referencing this? it is disingenuous to suggest that no one would notice, in the context of a comment regarding a bris.

amy and i are both offended (albeit for different reasons) by the show. *that* we agree on!

(ps, completely OT- there are fetish sites that keep clips of all the groin mashing incidents- since i found this out i have a harder time watching them with the same sense of happy innocence

)

suse

 

[Xenogenesis]

Quote:

Originally posted by merpk And having a Jewish name has no bearing on your view of this.

It was this comment that made us

 

[mamawanabe]

OT but AFHV is pretty "into" physical pain. Cute kids and pets aside, there is A LOT of nut cracking on that show. Always seems weird to me. Am I really supposed to laugh at people getting hurt?!

But the pets and kids are cute . . .

 

[alissakae]

I wince a LOT when watching that show. And I don't THINK I'm ruining it for the kids, but I make a LOT of comments like "how do you think he felt?"

 

[somemama]

Quote:

Originally posted by merpk And most traditional observers of bris milah are not in any way "pro-circ," they're pro bris milah.

Mere semantics.

 

[Ilaria]

 

[merpk]

Quote:

... by mamajulie ... Mere semantics.

No, it's not mere semantics. Please don't make assumptions when it's not a concept you're familiar with.

Speaking for myself and dozens of people I know, we are strongly anti-circumcision for any nonreligious reason. We all advocate against it with people we know who have no reason to follow the mitzva of brit milah. And we are all outspoken on the subject.

One has nothing to do with the other, in both the way it is performed, and in the reason it is performed.

I won't engage in "religious discussion" that is against the rules of the forum. I will, however, remind you that respectful argument is going to sway people to your point of view, barbs and sarcasm and insults will not.

 

[Xenogenesis]

Quote:

Originally posted by merpk Have found a lot of anti-circ people (and some of my best friends are, to coin a phrase) in the world have a lot less compassion for a lot of other things.

I think the phrase is already in circulation.