Non-Circumcision Consent Form

Copy the form below and present it to all the health care personnel who will come into contact with your baby after he is born-but do it well in advance of the birth. Most doctors, out of justifiable fears of lawsuits, will not circumcise a child if either parent objects. But you must make your objection very clear, especially if your partner favors circumcision or doesn't consider it very important one way or the other.

**********************************************************************************

NON-CIRCUMCISION NOTIFICATION FORM

Attention: Maternal-Infant Care Staff, Physicians, Nurses, and other Personnel at :

Name of Facility:

____________________________________________________________

Address:

____________________________________________________________

(We, I, My spouse) plan(s) to use your maternal care facility for the purposes of childbirth , and hereby provide you with this notification that (our/my) male child is not to be circumcised under any circumstances.

To avoid potential error whereby this child could be circumcised, (we, I) hereby direct that the mother's chart be immediately marked upon admission, that the child's chart be marked immediately after birth, and that his nursery crib be very clearly marked:

Circumcision Forbidden

Do NOT Retract or Manipulate Foreskin

(We, I) further direct that no attempt be made by anyone at this facility to stretch, retract, or otherwise forcibly manipulate our son's pupice (foreskin).

(We, I) wish to accord this new child a full respect for his right to physical integrity and eventual self-determination and to spare him any needless pain and potentially damaging iatro-genic interventions.

Important: (We/I) trust that these directions will be honored. Should ANY portion of this notice be disregarded, however, or should this child be circumcised based on any consent form not bearing dual consent form at least two of the following signatures [Mother/Father/Co-Parent/Legal Guardian], (we, I) reserve the right to take appropriate legal action(s).

This document becomes legally binding with at least one signature below.

Signature ______________________________________

Print Name _____________________________________

Relationship to child (check one): __Mother __Father __Co-Parent __Legal Guardian

Date: ____________________________

Signature ______________________________________

Print Name _____________________________________

Relationship to the child (check one): __Mother __Father __Co-Parent __Legal Guardian

Date: ____________________________

Taken from: Circumcision Exposed, By. Billy Ray Boyd

Text provided by: National Organization to Halt the Abuse and Routine Mutilation of Males: P.O. Box 460795, San Francisco, CA 94146. Tel: (415-826-9351, Fax: 415-646-3700

The Danger Of Benzocaine Gels And Liquids

Questions & Answers: Reports of a rare, but serious and potentially fatal adverse effect with the use of over-the-counter (OTC) benzocaine gels and liquids applied to the gums or mouth

On April 7, 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned the public about the use of over-the-counter (OTC) products containing benzocaine, an ingredient used to reduce pain in the mouth and gums. Benzocaine use may cause a rare, but serious condition where the amount of oxygen that can be carried through the blood stream is greatly reduced. This condition is called methemoglobinemia. FDA is particularly concerned about the use of OTC benzocaine products in children for relief of pain from teething because of the serious outcomes, including death, that may be associated with methemoglobinemia, as well as the difficulty parents or consumers may have in recognizing the signs and symptoms of methemoglobinemia when using these products at home. Furthermore, symptoms of methemoglobinemia may not always be evident or attributed to the condition.

Parents and caregivers should not use OTC benzocaine products on children under two years of age, except under the advice and supervision of a healthcare professional. If benzocaine products are used, it should be used sparingly and only when needed, but not more than four times a day.

Below is some additional information about benzocaine, methemoglobinemia, and steps consumers can take if they have or recognize an adverse reaction after using an OTC product containing benzocaine.

Q1. What is benzocaine?
Q2. Why is FDA concerned about the use of benzocaine?
Q3. What are the signs and symptoms of methemoglobinemia?
Q4. What should consumers do if they recognize the signs and symptoms of methemoglobinemia?
Q5. What should parents and caregivers do if they are currently using OTC benzocaine products on children who are teething?
Q6. What are alternative methods for reducing pain from teething?

Q1. What is benzocaine?

A. Benzocaine is a local anesthetic and is the active ingredient in many OTC products used to relieve pain in the mouth and gums from a variety of conditions such as teething, canker sores, and irritation of the mouth and gums.

OTC benzocaine products come in the form of gels, sprays, liquids, and lozenges. Many OTC benzocaine products are sold under the brand names listed here. Please note that there may be additional benzocaine products that are not listed. Consumers can look at the Drug Facts label when buying products used to treat pain in the mouth and gums to find out whether benzocaine is listed as the active ingredient.

Q2. Why is FDA concerned about the use of benzocaine?

A. FDA is concerned about the use of benzocaine products because they may cause a rare, but serious and possibly fatal condition where the amount of oxygen carried through the blood steam is greatly reduced. This condition is called methemoglobinemia. In the most severe cases, methemoglobinemia can result in death. Labels of OTC benzocaine products currently do notcontain warnings about methemoglobinemia, therefore, FDA is concerned that consumers may not be aware of and monitor for this condition when using OTC benzocaine products.

Methemoglobinemia with benzocaine use has been reported in adults and children. FDA is particularly concerned about the use of OTC benzocaine products in children aged two years and younger. There have been 21 reported cases of methemoglobinemia after the use of OTC benzocaine gels and liquids. Eleven of the 21 cases occurred in children two years of age or younger who were treated with benzocaine gel for teething.

Given the seriousness of the cases of methemoglobinemia, FDA will continue to evaluate the safety of benzocaine products and will update the public when additional information is available.

Q3. What are the signs and symptoms of methemoglobinemia?

A. Methemoglobinemia is a rare, but serious condition where the amount of oxygen carried by the blood is greatly reduced. Signs and symptoms of methemoglobinemia may include:

• pale, gray or blue colored skin, lips, and nail beds
• shortness of breath
• fatigue
• confusion
• headache
• lightheadedness
• rapid heart rate

Symptoms of methemoglobinemia usually appear within minutes to one or two hours after using benzocaine gels or liquids. Methemoglobinemia can occur after the first time a person uses benzocaine, or after using a benzocaine product multiple times.

Q4. What should consumers do if they recognize the signs and symptoms of methemoglobinemia?

A. Stop using the product and seek medical help immediately by calling 911.

Methemoglobinemia caused by benzocaine may require treatment with medications and may require admission to a hospital. Serious cases of methemoglobinemia should be treated promptly. If left untreated or if treatment is delayed, serious cases of methemoglobinemia may cause permanent injury to the brain and body tissues, and even death, due to an inadequate supply of oxygen.

Q5. What should parents and caregivers do if they are currently using OTC benzocaine products on children who are teething?

A. Parents, caregivers, and consumers should not use OTC benzocaine products on children under two years of age, except under the advice and supervision of a healthcare professional. Parents and caregivers using OTC benzocaine products on children should closely watch for signs and symptoms of methemoglobinemia. These may include pale, gray or blue colored skin, lips, and nail beds; shortness of breath; fatigue; confusion; headache; lightheadedness; and rapid heart rate. In some cases, symptoms of methemoglobinemia may not always be evident or attributed to the condition. Symptoms usually appear within minutes to one or two hours after using a benzocaine product, and methemoglobinemia can develop after using the product for the first time, as well as after several uses. Parents and caregivers who suspect a child may have methemoglobinemia should stop using the product and seek medical help immediately by calling 911.

Parents and caregivers should keep OTC benzocaine products out of reach of children and should not allow children to use these products without supervision. Consumers should follow the directions printed on the product labeling when using OTC benzocaine products.

Parents, caregivers, and consumers should report any reactions, symptoms, or side effects from the use of OTC benzocaine products to the FDA MedWatch program, using the information in the "Contact Us" box at the bottom of the page.

Q6. What are alternative methods for reducing pain from teething?

A. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommends the following for treating teething pain:1,2

• Give the child a teething ring chilled in the refrigerator.
• Gently rub or massage the child’s gums with your finger to relieve the symptoms of teething in children.

If these methods do not provide relief from teething pain, consumers should contact a healthcare professional to identify other treatments.

References

1. Markman L. Teething: facts and fiction. Pediatr Rev. 2009;30:e59-64.
2. American Academy of Pediatrics. Teething: 4 to 7 Months. Available at:http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/teething-tooth-care/pages/Teething-4-to-7-Months.aspx. Accessed on March 28, 2011.

List of OTC Benzocaine Products*

Americaine	Dent’s Maxi-Strength Toothache	Orajel Medicated Toothache
Americaine Hemorrhoidal	Dermoplast Antibacterial	Orajel Mouth Sore
Anbesol	Dermoplast Painrelieving	Orajel Multi-Action Cold Sore
Anbesol Baby	Detane	Orajel PM
Anbesol Cold Sore Therapy	Dry Socket Remedy	Orajel Ultra Mouth Sore
Anbesol Jr.	Exactacain	Oticaine
Anbesol Maximum Strength	Foille	Otocain
Baby Orajel	Freez Eez	Outgro
Banadyne	HDA Toothache	Red Cross Canker Sore
Benzocaine Burn Spray	Hurricaine	Rid-A-Pain Dental Drops
Benzodent	Ivy-Rid	Skeeter Stik
Boil Ease Maximum Strength	Kanka Soft Brush	Sting-Kill
Cepacol Sore Throat	Lanacane	Tanac
Cetacaine	Lanacane Maximum Strength	Thorets
Chiggerex	Mycinettes	Topicale Xtra
Chiggertox	Navogan	Trocaine
Comfort Caine	Orabase with Benzocaine	Walgreens Oral Anesthetic Paste
Dentapaine	Orajel Denture Plus	Walgreens Zilactin-B
Dent’s Extra Strength Toothache	Orajel Maximum Strength	Zilactin Toothache and Gum Pain

*This list is not all-inclusive

Taken from:http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm250029.htm

Anti-Circumcision Proposal Inches Closer To SF Ballot, How Would You Vote?

by April Siese
http://sfappeal.com/news/2011/04/anti-circumcision-proposal-garners-over-12000-signatures.php

April 26, 2011 11:00 AM

SFian Lloyd Schofield is apparently a big fan of going all out and uncut in quite a few positions. Schofield, who wants to ban the circumcision of males under the age of 18 in the city, says he has has gathered about 5,000 more signatures than is necessary to put his proposal on the ballot.

12,250 ardent anti-snippers signed in favor of the measure, though he only needed 7,168 valid signatures by 5 tonight. The Department of Elections will then have 30 days to review the proposal and see if it makes the November 8th election cut.

Schofield says he's spent more than $9,000 on keeping future penes intact.

If the measure passes, SF's police code would be amended "to make it a misdemeanor to circumcise, excise, cut or mutilate the foreskin, testicles or penis of another person who has not attained the age of 18." Violators would face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Critics of the measure feel that it violates religious freedom. Political junkies just think it's hilarious. Only time will tell if the anti-circumcision movement catches on. A similar bill was introduced in Massachusetts last year, but the legislation failed, rejected by the state's Judiciary Committee.

Make your vote count!!! Go to this link and VOTE. Let them see that the decision to have this elective procedure should ONLY be made by the person who owns the penis!!!

Canadian Flu Insert Tells Canadians To Beware of The Vaccine Itself!

Below I am posting from a website the information about the H1N1 vaccine that has been added to the "seasonal flu" shot given in Canada. From the second they released it (after only the minimum 4 months of testing), I knew it was bad. It is illegal to test vaccines on pregnant women or on children...so there was NO testing done on these two groups. The people getting the shots are the guinea pigs. YOU are testing the safety of this vaccine.
The worst part of it all is that people never question things. They take their Dr's word for everything and essentially put their lives (and the lives of their children) in his/her hands. These Dr.'s are paid. These Dr.'s get kickbacks. These Dr.'s don't care if you or your child become injured or die from this. You are ONE person. You are a number. Don't believe me? Ask your Dr. about "herd immunity". (Sadly, you won't even be given the true definition, but the made-up story they tell is bad enough!)




Canadian Flu Insert Tells Canadians To Beware Of The Vaccine Itself
Posted in Weight Loss on 28. Oct, 2009


Click here to view the actually pharmaceutical insert that comes along with all the Canadian swine flu vaccines being rolled out as of this Friday across Canada. Some areas of Canada are already underway with H1N1 vaccination drives.

You are free to interpret the insert yourself by clicking the link above, as it is produced so Canadians can investigate it.

Notes of extreme interest (concern) are the following……….

1. “The authorization is based on the Health Canada review of the available data on quality, safety and immunogenicity“……currently no standard testing on quality and safety of the H1N1 vaccine has been conducted thus far as the standard tests applied to all other vaccines
are supposed to be much longer. Real results on the safety of the vaccine will not be in unitl next year.

Health Canada officials do admit that they will collect data on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine as the H1N1 vaccines are administered. This means the people getting the H1N1 vaccine are the test subjects and most are not aware that they volunteered to participate in that experiment.

2. “H1N1 vaccine is favourable for active immunization against the H1N1 2009 influenza strain in an officially declared pandemic situation.”…….most Canadians are not aware but when the WHO (the World Health Organization) declares a pandemic situation it automatically allows vaccine manufacturers to bypasses the standard safety and testing standards applied to vaccines and medications in the past in each member country.

Just by using the word pandemic the legal avenues and standard human right violations against or involved in vaccine injury are cut off for people who get injured by the H1N1 vaccine. The word “pandemic” drives fearful people to the flu clinics yet the word also triggers a form of martial law and a reservation of legal human rights.

If you are injured by the vaccine the legal system is preset to state, “Canada was set into pandemic alert status by The WHO (a group of unelected officials) and had to place the safety of everyone above the safety of you and your family……..you cannot sue us because the WHO said it was too dangerous to test the vaccine before we gave it out but it was not too dangerous to give it to you and risk your injury or death”.

3. The ingredient (adjuvant) squalene is included in the vaccine……Canada has never approved the use of an ingredient like this in it’s history. Such ingredients have been proven highly suspect in many experiments all over the world for actually damaging the immune system by asking too much of it at one time. In many cases the exact ingredient inside the H1N1 vaccine has caused extreme decreases in health in test subjects.

4. Formaldehyde, mercury and polysortbate 80 are all in the H1N1 vaccine being given out to Canadians. The dangers of those toxic chemicals can be found in the list here. There is no magic used in medicine where these ingredients will not damage your cells or the cells of a child, senior, infact or fetus.

5. Mercury’s links to Autism were questioned when a committee (a group) voted against mercury’s involvement in Autism but committee members with no financial ties to the vaccine manufacturers voted that the link of vaccines causing autism was sound while all others with financial ties voted the link was not sound. A story first broke in Rolling Stone Magazine showing vaccine manufacturers had the reports in their hands proving a concrete link between Autism and vaccines but orchestrated the cover up. Watch this documentary for the complete story of Autism’s link to vaccines.

6. “There is currently limited clinical experience with Arepanrix™ H1N1..”…this means no safety or effectiveness results exist at this time for the Canadian H1N1 vaccine. Those results will be recorded as the vaccine is injected into Canadians adults, children, infants and seniors alike.

7. “Elderly (>60 years): No clinical data are available for Arepanrix™ H1N1 in this age group. One dose of 0.5mL at an elected date may be considered“…….meaning they do not know if the vaccine works or if the vaccine is safe but they are going to inject it into the old people anyway and make them the first group to get it.

8. “Children and adolescents aged 10-17 years: No clinical data are available for any influenza vaccines with AS03 in this age group. Consideration may be given to dosing in accordance with recommendations for adults.”………..same as #7 above

9. “Children aged 3-9 years: Based on limited clinical data available for AS03-adjuvanted H5N1…”…….meaning they are basing the vaccine dose for this age group on very limited data from another vaccine that is not the H1N1 vaccine (H5N1 – not H1N1) so again they are doing this because no standard testing results exist regarding the Canadian H1N1 vaccine. They are giving out a vaccine that has not been tested under standard procedures.

10. “Children aged from 6-35 months: No clinical data are available for influenza vaccines with AS03 in this age group“…….same as comments from #7, #8 and #9.

11. “Warnings and Precautions -Caution is needed when administering this vaccine to persons with a known hypersensitivity (other than anaphylactic reaction) to the active substance, to any of the excipients and to residues”…….do you really think anyone will be given this list of ingredients or a similar list and be asked if they are “hypersensitive” to any of them? Are you hypersensitive to mercury? What kind of question is that and how are you supposed to know if you are hypersensitive to any of them when many are known toxins and carcinogens?

12. “As with all injectable vaccines, appropriate medical treatment and supervision should always be readily available in case of a rare anaphylactic event following the administration of the vaccine“………not too sure how this applies to giving the shot out at Grocery stores like the Health Unit has done in the past…….what kind of emergency medication and emergency equipment is going be on hand if someone collapses after the shot at an off site non-medical location. The same clause openly admits a fatal result can occur from vaccination, although rare.

13. “Arepanrix™ H1N1 should under no circumstances be administered intravascularly or intradermally“……..with millions of shots being given in weeks…….the statistically probability that a health care workers hits a vein is high.

14. “Antibody response in patients with endogenous or iatrogenic immunosuppression may be insufficient“……..this means things like Aspirin, Tylenol, other pain killers and immune suppression drugs actually shut off your immune system so taking those painkiller chemicals/toxins may not be a good idea when you are being injected with vaccine chemicals/toxins. I am not aware of anyone who gets screened for taking those drugs before they get the shot.

15. “Pregnancy and Lactation -No data have been generated in pregnant women with Arepanrix™ H1N1 nor with the prototype AS03 adjuvanted H5N1 vaccine“……meaning health officials have absolutely no data on how this vaccine affects women who are pregnant but they are going to give it to them anyway and mark them as a group who gets bullied into receiving the shot first. The female has always been a historical target of the male dominated medical industry. All the way from the witch hunts (women curing with food/natural items) until today.

16. “CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE TAKEN OF ANY RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA.”……….I believe this means you are supposed to do your own homework regarding the risks of the vaccine even though the media and the health care system are rarely telling people any particular risks (other than the blanket statement that there are risks in all vaccines) and the insert is hard to interpret even for the most informed individuals.

17. “No data are available on the concomitant administration of Arepanrix™ H1N1 with other vaccines, including seasonal trivalent influenza vaccines. Such data are in development, and this document will be amended to include them as soon as available. However, if co-administration with another vaccine is indicated, immunization should be carried out on separate limbs. It should be noted that the adverse reactions may be intensified”………..meaning they have no data on the safety of injecting this vaccine along with another vaccine but the medical industry gives a full speed ahead to do it anyway……it just means the patient will experience more side effects……..the exact same side effects they rarely talk about in public but list on the insert so they are not liable for your injuries.

18. Here are some of the potential side effects listed in the insert of the Canadian H1N1 vaccine. These side effects happened during the short testing period with another vaccine (that was not even the swine flu vaccine but only one similar) on healthy people (meaning they cherry picked their test subjects – not everyone getting the shot will be healthy) and the vaccine tested did not even include the adjuvant squalene, which is hypothesized to be one of the or the most dangerous ingredient in the new H1N1 vaccine.

Pain
Redness
Swelling
Fatigue
Headache
Arthralgia
Myalgia
Shivering
Sweating
Fever
Muscle Aches
Joint Pain
Blood and lymphatic system disorders -lymphadenopathy
Psychiatric disorders -insomnia
Nervous system disorders -dizziness, paraesthesia
Ear and labyrinth disorders -vertigo
Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders – dyspnoea
Gastrointestinal disorders nausea, diarrhoea,pain, vomiting, dyspepsia, stomach discomfort
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders – pruritus, rash
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders -back pain, musculoskeletal stiffness, neck pain, muscle spasms, pain in extremity
General disorders and administration site conditions injection site reactions (such as bruising, pruritus, asthenia, chest pain, malaise
*two instances of ovarian carcinoma (highly rare/potential link only)
*a metastatic malignancy of unspecified type (highly rare/potential link only)
exacerbation of diabetes mellitus and hepatic cirrhosis (highly rare/potential link only)
*a myocardial infarction (highly rare/potential link only)
*Bell’s palsy
*anaphylactic reaction to food
*convulsions
*neuritis
*psoriasis
*polymyalgia rheumatica
*Grave’s disease
*uveitis
*scleroderma
*isolated IVth nerve palsy
aerythema

* denotes effects from a vaccine test that did contain the adjuvant squlene
*** we can also be relieved that the makers of the vaccine have decided that many of these effects had very little or nothing to do with the vaccine…..that is a song they have played many times before.

That was a quick review up until page 10 of the 24 page insert. I had to stop because I believe that should be enough for anyone that these vaccines are highly questionable.

I also want to add one more link that compares this vaccine to the one used in the 1960's that was pushed on pregnant women as well. It was called Thalidomide, and was said to prevent morning sickness, and was also advertised as a cure for insomnia, cough, cold, and headaches and a minor side effect of pregnancy. “The drug was given to millions of pregnant mothers in 46 countries without proof of its benefits or harm to the fetus was ignored by the German drug manufacturer." Just like the H1N1 vaccine. As I mentioned earlier, it is illegal for any drug company to test vaccines on pregnant women or infants.

The truth is that no one knows for sure what the long-term effects of this vaccine are. Only time will tell. And since Canada has added it to the seasonal flu vaccine, it's not even an option anymore. If you want the flu shot, you're getting this strain too. I wish I could say that what they're doing is not amoral. But it is. They beefed up the stories of the people who died from it so they could get everyone in line to get the shot. And now what's left is the memory of what we were told. Sadly, this is nothing more than propaganda used to feed the fears of people who don't care enough to look up the information for themselves, or those too blind to recognize that money means more than lives, and the only "number" that counts is the one with the dollar sign in front of it. Not the one beside your name.

If this post does nothing else, I hope it makes you look at your lives, and the lives of your children, as something you need to fight for. Question what you're told. Research it. Make an educated decision. As the saying goes, "educate before you vaccinate". We can't UN-vaccinate. Once the damage is done, it's done. So know what you're talking about.

The Reality of Vaccine Injuries

Taken from VRAN: The Reality of Vaccine Injuries

While there has been sporadic dialogue over the years amongst Canadian Health officials about the need for a vaccine injury compensation program, Canada still remains one of few western countries that denies the reality of vaccine injuries and provides no avenue whatsoever to compensate vaccine injury victims and their families.

In contrast the United States has had a vaccine injury compensation program since 1986 which has paid out approximately 2 billion dollars in compensation to vaccine injury victims — the majority being young children.

CBS reports that, “The first court award in a vaccine-autism claim is a big one. CBS News has learned the family of Hannah Poling will receive more than $1.5 million dollars for her life care; lost earnings; and pain and suffer for the first year alone.”

Find the full story here.

Family to Receive $1.5M+ in First-Ever Vaccine-Autism Court Award
CBC News Investigates

The first court award in a vaccine-autism claim is a big one. CBS News has learned the family of Hannah Poling will receive more than $1.5 million dollars for her life care; lost earnings; and pain and suffering for the first year alone.

In addition to the first year, the family will receive more than $500,000 per year to pay for Hannah's care. Those familiar with the case believe the compensation could easily amount to $20 million over the child's lifetime.

Hannah was described as normal, happy and precocious in her first 18 months.

Then, in July 2000, she was vaccinated against nine diseases in one doctor's visit: measles, mumps, rubella, polio, varicella, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, and Haemophilus influenzae.
Nine year old Hannah Polling is shown.
AP photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, John Spink.


Afterward, her health declined rapidly. She developed high fevers, stopped eating, didn't respond when spoken to, began showing signs of autism, and began having screaming fits. In 2002, Hannah's parents filed an autism claim in


federal vaccine court. Five years later, the government settled the case before trial and had it sealed. It's taken more than two years for both sides to agree on how much Hannah will be compensated for her injuries.

Read Sharyl Attkisson's 2008 report on Hannah Poling

In acknowledging Hannah's injuries, the government said vaccines aggravated an unknown mitochondrial disorder Hannah had which didn't "cause" her autism, but "resulted" in it. It's unknown how many other children have similar undiagnosed mitochondrial disorder. All other autism "test cases" have been defeated at trial. Approximately 4,800 are awaiting disposition in federal vaccine court.

Time Magazine summed up the relevance of the Poling case in 2008: ...(T)here's no denying that the court's decision to award damages to the Poling family puts a chink -- a question mark -- in what had been an unqualified defense of vaccine safety with regard to autism. If Hannah Poling had an underlying condition that made her vulnerable to being harmed by vaccines, it stands to reason that other children might also have such vulnerabilities."

Then-director of the Centers for Disease Control Julie Gerberding (who is now President of Merck Vaccines) stated: "The government has made absolutely no statement indicating that vaccines are a cause of autism. This does not represent anything other than a very specific situation and a very sad situation as far as the family of the affected child."

Read the newly-released decision on Hannah Poling's compensation.

Trying To Be More Understanding

Lately I've found that the people I talk to about circumcision that are "all for it", generally have boys who have been cut. Most of them need only a little bit of compassion and understanding to come clean and admit that they did what they thought was best at the time. They did what their Dr. told them was "healthier", or "cleaner", and they were lied to about the "medical benefits" of having their sons circumcised.

I recently had the opportunity to chat with a woman online who was known as a "troll", someone who would always start shit as soon as someone would post any info on circumcision. After reading her posts, I saw that she said that reading the other member's posts made her "feel judged". That was my "in".
I used words that I would want to hear if that had been ME who was being spoken to. I knew she already felt judged, and know all too well that when someone feels that way, they are almost impossible to get through to. People put up walls when they feel they have to defend themselves. And that's not what I wanted. ( I used "we" instead of "you", so she felt that we had a comradery, and that I wasn't just adding to the verbal beating she was getting from everyone else. There's nothing worse than feeling alone and ganged up on.)

I had no intention of making her feel worse than she already did, and I knew she felt bad by her choice of words. She kept trying to justify her choice to have her son circumcised, but when she said she felt "judged", I knew there was more to it. It was deeper than feeling outnumbered.
I told her the truth. I told her that "we are often given mis-information, or outright lied to by our Dr.s, family, friends...And no mother intentionally hurts their child. When we're told that what we're doing will be what's best for our child, we do it. No questions asked. Because that is what a good mom does. We put our children's best interests above everything else...even if it goes against every instinct we have. Because when it's our first child, what do we know? We know what we've been told. And we have always been told that our Dr. is ALWAYS looking out for our well-being. We would never doubt the person who got us through our pregnancy and gave us the precious gift laying on our chest."

I told her that she did what she thought was best given the information she was provided. I told her that she's a good mom for trying to put her baby first. And I told her that I hope that she could see past her own pride and take in the information that I was giving her. I told her that there isn't even one Health Organization in the world that recommends routine infant circumcisions. I told her that there are no medical benefits to it, and that it removes the right of our children to choose for themselves how they want their own genitals to look. I told her that she has been given an opportunity to research further, to learn more. And that even though she did something in the past, it doesn't mean she needs to do it in the future. Because when we know better, we do better.

She thanked me several times and told me that she had teared up reading my comment to her. I think she finally felt like someone was talking to her like a person. A real person. Because in the end, we are ALL real people sitting behind the screens of our computers. We all have real feelings, and we all love our children more than life itself. And when someone actually made her feel like her feelings mattered, she let down that guard. She allowed some information to seep in.

I don't know what the future holds for her, or for any other sons she may have in the future. But I hope that her experience talking with me will show her that not everyone is an extremist. Not everyone wants to burn her at the stake for making a bad judgement call. Some of us have hope that even when someone has allowed their first son to be circumcised, with the right information and a little compassion, they might choose not to do it again in the future.

I learned a lot that day about kindness. I will always "tell it like it is", but I'm going to try to remember that these people ARE people...and that what I accomplished by talking to someone with good intentions and compassion, was much more than has ever been accomplished by shouting "you're a bad mom! you mutilated your son!" (Not that I've ever yelled that, but I've seen posts by other "intactivists" that are along those lines!)

Just a little reminder that what we say, how we present ourselves, and the way we treat others, will directly influence how people see ALL of us. It's human nature to group people together. So lets be grouped together as peaceful and understanding.

"Children Learn What They Live"

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.

If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves an in those about them.

If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.

If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.

If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to live.

If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.

If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.

If children live with friendliness,
they learn the world is a nice place to live.

~by. Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D