I do not normally discuss politics. I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican. I believe that it is the purpose of a government to provide certain services to its people, but I also believe that the government should be fiscally responsible. Those are not incompatible objectives.

There has always been strife with our politicians. But in the past 12 years, the pot went from being stirred vigorously to being really heated up to being almost ready to boil over.

The current problem first manifested itself during the 2000 Presidential elections. The Swiftboating of Senator Kerry was emblematic of the new way of winning. No need to have a good platform or a good track record. All that was necessary was to smear the other side, to go lower than the other side dared to go. The tactic was even named Swiftboating after the smear campaign against Kerry. Unfortunately, such tactics are successful in our sheeple society.

The 2008 Presidential elections saw the new Tea Party's rise. The Tea Party revitalized the Republican Party, but it also splintered it. The Tea Party has an extremist platform that is more fanatical than realistic. Unfortunately, the 2010 midterm elections saw the Tea Party move into the House, assuring the Republican Party a House majority, but only in number, not in the party platform. The Tea Party also assumed power in many states.

Now we have the politicians piggybacking solutions to the budget deficit to the debt ceiling. These are two issues that need not be joined. Raising the debt ceiling has traditionally been technical legislation with little fanfare. This time, though, we have the Republicans seeking to use the debt ceiling issue as a vehicle to move their agenda. It is backfiring on them. Read more . . .

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.

In less than a month, the Genital Autonomy Conference will be held in the United Kingdom. The conference is scheduled from August 31 to September 1, 2011, at Keele University, Staffordshire, UK. The two day conference will consider the legal and human rights issues surrounding non-therapeutic genital surgery on male, female, and intersex children.
 

Monday, July 11, 2011

HuffPost Religion: The Other Side Of The Circumcision Debate
Ronald Goldman is executive director of the Jewish Circumcision Resource Center and author of "Questioning Circumcision: A Jewish Perspective" and "Circumcision: The Hidden Trauma." The Jewish Circumcision Resource Center represents Jews around the world who question ritual circumcision. Some mothers have revealed great distress about permitting and watching the circumcision of their sons and have regretted their decision for years. "I will go to my grave hearing that horrible wail," one mother says.

LA Times: The debate over circumcising baby boys
The Los Angeles Times presents both sides of the infant circumcision debate. Georganne Chapin is the founding executive director of Intact America and the founder of Hudson Center for Health Equity & Quality, a nonprofit organization devoted to improving access to healthcare. She says that genital cutting of infant boys is a human rights issue. "All people, male as well as female, are entitled to bodily integrity, and nobody — for any reason — has the right to cut off part of another person's body when that person is too young to understand and to consent." On the other side is Daniel Halperin, a lecturer who recites many of the myths that have been debunked. He concludes, "I'm not interested in pushing circumcision but in making the service readily available to everybody who wants it." Hmm. I do not think the baby boy wants to be circumcised.
  Read more . . .

I am speechless. At least I can still write, though. I just found out that the state of California is proposing to outlaw any local effort to restrict male circumcision. California State Bill Number AB 768, amended, was introduced by Assembly Member Gatto.

Assemblyman Gatto is seeking to reform California's initiative process.[1] California allows members of the public to file ballot measures through the initiative process. Although subject to abuse by monied interests, the California initiative process allows the public to participate in governing themselves.[2]

Along with Assemblyman Gatto's initiative reform, he also seems to be targetting one initiative in particular, the San Francisco Male Infant Circumcision Ban that is coming up for a vote in November. Read more . . .

This past week has seen many intactivists in Gay Pride events across the Unted States. New York City. Chicago. San Francisco. Seattle PrideFest. There is even a YouTube video of the San Francisco Intactivist Contingent.

The British Columbia Pride Parade and the Vancouver Pride Parade are coming up later this month. The Canadian Foreskin Awareness Project (CAN-FAP) is sponsoring marching units at those pride parades. Check out the Intactivist Calendar for more information on upcoming intactivist events.

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, June 26, 2011

NORM-UK: Circumcision 'Like having your tongue but not being able to taste': NORM-UK members on BBC Radio 4
The radio program "Broadcasting House" featured contributions from NORM-UK members. The men discussed the harm caused by their circumcisions and their efforts to restore their foreskin.

Dr Momma Peaceful Parenting: Pennsylvania Mother Charged For Bloody Chicken Sacrifice; U.S. Baby Blood Sacrifice Continues
A mother following the Palo Mayombe religion was charged with child neglect and cruelty. The mother held an initiation rite that included a chicken sacrifice and feeding the chicken's heart to her daughter. There was a large outcry over the barbarism of the religioius rite. Why isn't there an equal outrage over the blood sacrifice of cutting off a healthy part of a baby boy that is widely practiced in the US? No one seems concerned that the mother's right to practice her religion was restricted.

Read more . . .