Ban On Circumcision?

You might have heard about this one but thought someone was kidding- this fall San Francisco will have a bill on the ballot that outlaws circumcision for any male under 18. It is called the MGM Bill (male genital mutilation.) It outlaws circumcision and makes it an offence punishable with a $1000 fine and a year in jail. (Bad news if you are a mohel!) This bill seems to ignore the fact that over 1.2 million circumcisions are done each year. It also ignores the many studies that prove that circumcision is a sound medical policy. Before I turn to the religious implications I remind you that it is a parent’s business if they wish a baby to be circumcised or not.

To me it is one of those laughable causes that make me wonder what people do with their time and energy. With all the problems in the world couldn’t these want-to-be- do-gooders find a more meaningful cause? It is almost a case of when you “think you’ve seen it all” something comes along that “takes the cake.”  Spiritually I worry about issues like these- it shows that people do need a cause, a belief, a reason to get up in the morning and think their actions really matter. I would not be the first person to question if “activism,”- the pursuit of causes and “isms” to believe in- has replaced the empty value systems of our country. There is far too little that people “believe in” any more, and in the place of meaningful values comes a flood of “causes” that sit on the edge of silly or worse!

This proposed ban on circumcision is such a case. Even if I was not a Jew I would feel that it is no one’s business if I decide to have my son circumcised. What’s next, a ban on bottle feeding? Maybe breast feeding needs to be stopped! I have to hope that there are still enough reasonable people in San Francisco to defeat this bill but I can’t help but wonder “what’s next?”

Lastly, let me change seats and put my “rabbi” cap on! It is obvious that, as Jews, we must speak out against any action that would, in effect, deny us the right to observe Judaism. Circumcision or, for us, Brit Milah, is the oldest observance in the history of our faith. It represents the covenant given to Abraham and the promise made to the Jewish people. That is the issue that causes my greatest concern. Is this wacky proposal a veiled attack on religion in general? Remember, circumcision is central to Islam also. Is preventing circumcision one more way to chip away at the right to observe any religion? It might sound like a broad indictment but I remind you that many people do believe that America should be a completely secular society. It is that group that would revel in a ban on circumcision.