To be dreadfully sad that in the 21st century child abuse seems to be part of the culture in a so-called modern, progressive and enlightened country like the USA

[Perriwinkle]

I've been watching a lot of American baby programmes on satellite TV lately and have been horrified and saddened to see how many parents, who appear to be loving, caring, very protective parents who are determined to everything right by their children, have their sons circumcised in hospital just before they bring them home.

These parents then get stressed and worried when these babies are what they describe as "fussy" (which I've gathered seems to mean a collection of things such as not feeding/sleeping/settling well and crying a lot). Clearly these poor babies are in huge discomfort, due to the barbaric and hugely invasive and unnecessary procedure that's been carried out on them.

When the parents are talking to camera about their early experiences of parenthood, how it has made them feel and what their hopes are for the future, they are all full of wanting to do the best for their child, to love, cherish and protect them and about being the best parents they possibly can for their child. This seems to be so at odds with giving consent for that child to have its genitals mutilated just a day or two earlier.

One woman I saw was talking about how she was in pieces when her son had to "get his first shots" as she called it (injections I assume?) yet she said nothing about his circumcision. I know that the vast majority have it done because when you see them changing nappies you know they have had it done because they have big wadge of gauze there to protect the wound site and you often hear them saying they have to be careful due to the circumcision. If only these parents could be educated to see that it is not in their child's best interests to have him circumcised, rather than thinking it is.

I really can't believe that this practice is still carried out as routinely and widely as it is in the USA even though there is no medical justification for it and no sound evidence to justify that it is in any way beneficial or more hygenic than leaving the baby intact.

What a shame that in many cases such clearly educated and rational people, who do not appear to have any religious imperative to carry out this barbaric practice are still doing this to their children in their droves. It means that millions of children are being subjected to this abusive practice on a daily basis in the USA.

Surely with proper education and information this could be turned around and this vile practive wiped out? I know having it done due to a religious imperative is a whole different argument but surely if non Jewish and Islamic people were properly informed and enlightened on the subject surely the incidence of this completely unneccessary abusive practice could be drastically reduced and in time eschewed by the overwhelming majority of parents?

I understand that routine non ritual circumcision was once a feature of many cultures but that it has successfully died out due to education and enlightenment. Wouldn't it be lovely to think the same could happen in the USA?

Posies, by all means ignore Americans who circumcise - they are not asking for your approval anyway, you are the one who is calling them child abusers.

There is no such thing as a completely efficacious preventive measure. Condoms are not always available, they are not always used properly, and they can split. By your reasoning, what is the point of the BCG vaccine? It is 'only' 80% effective at best (much less in certain regions) in protecting against TB, and only works for about 15 years. And TB can be cured- aids cannot. The BCG vaccine often leads to a painful abscess forming and almost always leaves a visible scar. Maybe it is child abuse too then?

Your statement that more people die of circumcision than penile cancer is unsupported by evidence, and ignores all the other health benefits of circumcision by focusing only on one. America is the most litigious place in the world, do you think for one second that doctors would even want to perform circumcision if it were that risky, and risk massive malpractice lawsuits?

Prima. At the beginning and end of my reasoning is a tiny baby going through a needless operation. I can't be arsed to drag up the stats about penile cancer where at least 15% of patients were circumcised which negated the benefit of circumcision when babies who had died as a result of complications. It's a vile practice which disgusts me.

Nobody has ever said circumcision is absolute prevention, even in Africa...