Help Misha!

[DudeAsInCool]

AN URGENT APPEAL FOR YOUR HELP TO PROTECT A 12 YEAR-OLD BOY

Those of you who are serious about protecting children from non-therapeutic circumcision have a unique opportunity to assist with a legal case in Oregon. An Oregon father, (an attorney), claims to be in the process of converting to Judaism and wants his now 12-year-old son, 'Misha', of whom he has custody, circumcised against both the child's and the natural mother's express wishes.

Sadly, a physician, a fellow congregant of the father, has already been found willing to ignore the child's wishes. The father claims a rabbi has insisted on the child's circumcision. The father's motives might even be sheer spite toward Misha's mother; we can't know.

An attorney working pro bono publico has donated more than $20,000 of his time to assisting the mother by attempting to block the circumcision in the courts. The case is now on its way to the Oregon Supreme Court after losses at both the trial level and an intermediate appellate court. Judges have affirmed without opinion or testimony that a non-medical circumcision of a 12-year-old is 'within the discretion of a custodial parent.' There is no medical necessity alleged at all by anyone. The circumcision would be purely cultural, even merely spiteful.

Source

[Shawn]

Why in the hell wasn't the kid circumcised already? Long before they announced it would cut down on the chances of getting aids it was known to be healthier.

As to the article/story... it's a tough world. If the father has custody it's a done deal. A 12 year old can't consent to legal decisions anyway so it's the custody holder against the one who for some reason doesn't have custody.

The idea that it could be spite towards the child's mother is just foolish.

[DudeAsInCool]

It may be healthier, but screw the father if the kid doesn't want to do it.

[CTC Command]

Our dog's name is Misha. She's a German Shepherd--I was trying to remember the name of one of those Soviet space dogs, and for some reason I thought Misha was one of them. It was not.

This is very tangential to both the topic and the spirit of this thread, but when has that ever stopped me before?

[rainbowdemon]

Aren't most non-Jewish babies circumcised at birth anyway?

[DudeAsInCool]

Aren't most non-Jewish babies circumcised at birth anyway?

yes - at least in this country

[Shawn]

It may be healthier, but screw the father if the kid doesn't want to do it.

Okay, but my point was that for children of that age it is for the parents to decide what is best for them.

I will admit that had I got to age 12 uncircumcised I might have been a little leery of the idea but that doesn't mean I would have been qualified to refuse.

[CTC Command]

This is true. This is protected by the same right that Christian Scientists and other religious nuts groups can withhold medical treatment for their kids.

Also, we had our dog Misha spade.

[rainbowdemon]

Also, we had our dog Misha spade.

You turned your dog into a garden shovel??

[CTC Command]

Yeah, can you dig it?

Edited April 19, 2007 by CTC Command

[Shawn]

Grooooooooooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaannn.

I suppose we sshould all be grateful in this thread that nobody named their dog rumpleforeskin.

[method77]

think again

[bear]

Heck, if the boy doesn't want to, all he's got to do is get a lawyer. The media possibilities alone probably has the buzzards circling already.

Is the boy following the same faith? (forgive me, I didn't read the whole article)

[DudeAsInCool]

Is the boy following the same faith? (forgive me, I didn't read the whole article)

no

[DudeAsInCool]

According to this article, Misha's sex life may be harmed irreparably

[Shawn]

According to this article, Misha's sex life may be harmed irreparably

Those are easily the dumbest experiments I've read about today.