CIN (Circumcision Information Network) 1:9

CIN CompuBulletin
Circumcision Information Network
Volume 1, Number 9, 14 August 1994
 
CIRCUMCISION CENSORED...AGAIN
In the previous issue, Vol. 1 No. 8, 29 July, it was reported that there
is a documentary by Desmond Morris of England called "Baby Watching,"
which compares and contrasts the gentle home (water) birth and the violent
hospital birth, actually showing live births in progress.  It stresses the
importance of breast-feeding, and calls circumcision what it
is--mutilation.  The most recent showing was 9 August on the Learning
Channel (cable) at 22:00 EDT, then repeated at 1:00 the morning of 10
August....  The portion on circumcision was edited (censored). 

This sort of censorship concerning circumcision in the U.S. is not at all
unusual.  Radio and TV stations usually will not allow discussion of
penile matters.  Dr. Jim Bigelow was blocked from discussing foreskin
restoration on KFI in southern California. Newspapers rarely publish
articles or letters by anti-circumcision activists.  I have had a hard
time getting my 900# on circumcision advertised. Following is a classic
example of censorship of the truth about circumcision: 

In the spring of 1991 I was browsing through pregnancy and childbirth
books (most of which either contain misinformation or no information at
all about circumcision), when I came across a book entitled "Babies
Remember Birth" by Dr. David Chamberlain. It was about regressive
hypnosis, and how people can actually remember their birth and even fetal
stage, and how all experiences are remembered or encoded, even if there is
no conscious memory.  I didn't have time to read it thoroughly, but I did
get a feel for it.  Quite fascinating...but not a mention of circumcision.
Not long after that, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Dr.
Chamberlain was one of the lecturers at the Second International Symposium
on Circumcision in San Francisco.  After his presentation, I went to the
microphone to confront him about the glaring omission from his book. "...I
looked through your book... but found nothing on circumcision.  Did I
overlook something, or--" "Thank you!" he exclaimed before I could finish. 
"I wrote a burning chapter on circumcision and other unnecessary
procedures...but the publisher told me they wouldn't publish the book
unless I withdrew that chapter, because they said it would be too
upsetting for parents to read!" 
 
SEX MATTERS

 Dr. Louanne Cole, Ph.D featured in her "Sex Matters" column a letter of
Cliff Pointer of Arkansas, who not only is very angry and bitter about
having been circumcised as an infant, but also was unable to protect his
eldest son from circumcision after his wife won custody of the children
and took them to another state. At least he has been able to reverse some
of the damage through non-surgical foreskin restoration. Following is an
edited version of Dr. Cole's response: "It was distressing to read your
letter. when I last wrote a column concerning circumcision, I received
quite a few letters from men who felt similarly.  Interestingly, no one
wrote saying that they were glad that they had been circumcised. (If
readers missed the earlier column and would like a copy, send me a SASE.)

"I'm glad to hear that you are having good results with your non-surgical
efforts to restore your foreskin.  When I first hear that this could be
done, I was very skeptical about the procedure. And, quite honestly,
before I educated myself about the issue of circumcision, I thought that
men who were unhappy about it had more of a problem than the mere fact
that they were circumcised.  That all changed. 

"I had the good fortune to read the book, 'The Joy of Uncircumcising'
(Hourglass Book Publishing, 1992).  Later, I had the opportunity to hear
the author, Jim Bigelow, Ph.D. lecture and show 'before' and 'after'
slides at a professional meeting of sex therapists. I was startled at the
amount of change possible. 

"Sir, I agree with you and cringe at what has happened to you and your
son. Keep telling your story." 
 
NORM OF NYC UPDATE
Also in the previous issue, it was reported that Richard DeSeabra (National
Organization of Restoring Men) and other activists were featured in a
major article in the New York Newsday.  Here is a report from NORM of NYC: 

"One negative letter followed up and was published; however, Curtis Rist
(the writer of the article) says he got a lot of positive phone calls and
two positive letters.  Mike Manzo, who is a NORM member, was interviewed
on four live radio talk shows.  The New York correspondent for Ha'aretz
'Israel's New York Times' interviewed me for two hours.  The most exciting
repercussion of the Newsday article, however, came from one of the main
German TV Networks: RTL, which will film a NORM meeting in my living room. 
Penthouse is interested in running an article on all restoration devices
and techniques. 

"After the Newsday article I decided to call my mom about my involvement
in the anti-circumcision movement.  I had only told my brothers. After
giving her some gory details about circumcision she apologized and said
she didn't know.  I told her she didn't need to apologize and that I only
harbored anger toward the medical community for fooling her." 
 
DR. MICHEL ODENT TO SPEAK
Our friend and renowned obstetrician and lecturer, Dr. Michel Odent will
share in a conference entitled "Psychological & Physiological Processes In
The Perinatal Period" 6 and 7 September in Reno, Nevada.  Dr. Odent, born
in France and currently living in England, is a proponent of gentle birth
and breast feeding, and (naturally) opposed to circumcision. There will be
opportunity to ask questions about his research.  For more information
write Sparks Family Hospital, 2375 E Prater Way, Sparks, NV 89434 or call
(702) 356-2229. 
 
SPECIAL ACTION ALERT:  FORESKIN STUDY
Dr. John Taylor of Canada has done extensive research on the anatomy and
physiology of the prepuce.  Unfortunately, his study has never been
published.  This is a major setback for our movement, for such a
publication would give us much needed credibility when we talk about the
erogenous qualities of the foreskin.  What we need, suggests our friend
Harry Meislahn, is for somebody to do a physiological study on the
foreskin to confirm the findings of Dr. Taylor's study that there is
sexual response in the foreskin. That just might provide Dr. Taylor with
enough encouragement to have his study published and given its credit due. 
For questions about this matter, contact Harry Meislahn, 976 Pine St.,
Winnetka IL 60093 USA (708) 441-8027. 
 
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
-If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is there to hear,
does it make a sound?
If a baby is circumcised and the parents are not there,
does he make a sound?--Waren Smith
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