2008 Woodie Awards
The Real Deal: Circumcising intelligence
Paul McNeill
Issue date: 9/25/07 Section: Opinions
Rage, righteous or feigned, gauges intelligence. When a minor disagreement, the slightest insult, the smallest slip-of-the-tongue, a split-second flash of flesh, or a spur-of-the-moment expression of a "dirty" word sparks controversy and fury, it's a sign that those offended should rearrange their priorities and develop a sense of perspective. It's even worse when many merely act insulted to advance a preconceived ideological agenda.
Perhaps better than any other yardstick, misdirected outrage can accurately measure a person's intellect-or lack thereof. A 13-year-old girl died in Egypt over the summer after a doctor removed her clitoris. Her's is not the only death from this barbaric practice this year. The men in her community were livid, not because of her tragic and unnecessary death. The men were incensed because the government shut down the clinic.
Men took to the streets screaming in support of circumcision. (Who are we kidding? It's not circumcision; it is genital mutilation and torture.) Men proclaimed that the practice would continue, even if the government interfered, and even if a few innocent young girls have to die along the way.
Egypt's Health Ministry tried to ban the practice more than 10 years ago, but genital mutilation continues virtually unchecked thanks to a loophole in the law. Nearly 96 percent of adult women in Egypt say that they have undergone the procedure. A decade after female mutilation should have ended, Egyptian officials are still trying to enforce an effective ban.
Supporters of female mutilation claim the procedure ensures chastity and honor. Some even argue that removing the clitoris prevents homosexuality. All are covers for the truth: supporters of the practice-those with opinions best left in the first century-fear that inherently evil and weak-willed women, given liberty, will surrender to the temptation of pleasurable sex, turn into nymphomaniacs and slowly destroy decent society. That may be exaggerating the panic, but the belief is based on fear nonetheless.
Perhaps better than any other yardstick, misdirected outrage can accurately measure a person's intellect-or lack thereof. A 13-year-old girl died in Egypt over the summer after a doctor removed her clitoris. Her's is not the only death from this barbaric practice this year. The men in her community were livid, not because of her tragic and unnecessary death. The men were incensed because the government shut down the clinic.
Men took to the streets screaming in support of circumcision. (Who are we kidding? It's not circumcision; it is genital mutilation and torture.) Men proclaimed that the practice would continue, even if the government interfered, and even if a few innocent young girls have to die along the way.
Egypt's Health Ministry tried to ban the practice more than 10 years ago, but genital mutilation continues virtually unchecked thanks to a loophole in the law. Nearly 96 percent of adult women in Egypt say that they have undergone the procedure. A decade after female mutilation should have ended, Egyptian officials are still trying to enforce an effective ban.
Supporters of female mutilation claim the procedure ensures chastity and honor. Some even argue that removing the clitoris prevents homosexuality. All are covers for the truth: supporters of the practice-those with opinions best left in the first century-fear that inherently evil and weak-willed women, given liberty, will surrender to the temptation of pleasurable sex, turn into nymphomaniacs and slowly destroy decent society. That may be exaggerating the panic, but the belief is based on fear nonetheless.
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Hugh
posted 9/27/07 @ 4:34 AM EST
"Who are we kidding? It's not circumcision; it is genital mutilation and torture."
You'll have to explain the difference to me, especially when ALL genital cutting of females - no matter how mild, anaesthetised and aseptic, including varieties that are milder than male circumcision - is banned outright throughout the western world, with no letout for religion or culture, only pressing medical need. (Continued…)
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