Grim outlook for San Francisco circumcision ballot referendum

The closest I’m ever posting to a circumcision pic

As heartening as it is to see that a group was actually able to place a ballot proposal to ban infant circumcision in both San Francisco and more recently in Santa Monica, I’m afraid SurveyUSA has a bit of a bucket of cold water to upend over our hopeful heads:

San Francisco voters 4:1 oppose a ballot measure that would make it against the law to circumcise any male child under the age of 18, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted exclusively for KPIX-TV. The city lines up on circumcision this way:* 26% see it as a harmless tradition.
* 47% see it as a medical procedure whose health benefits outweigh the health risks.
* 8% see it as a medical procedure whose risks outweigh the benefits.
* 9% see it as mutilation.

Women by 2:1 say they would circumcise a boy if they had a male baby today. Men split.
Regardless of their feelings about circumcision, San Franciscans by 8:1 say the government should not be involved.

Jewish voters oppose the ballot measure 18:1.

*sighs* It would be so less exasperating if those in favor of male genital mutilation at least had halfway decent arguments that aren’t either plainly nonsensical (which is all that “but it’s traditional!” arguments are) or easily and endlessly refuted, such as with those supposed “health benefits”, which in the entire scientific literature really only amount to “Your pee-pee is slightly cleaner”. (As if regular washing didn’t already take care of that.)

(via Joe. My. God.)

Tags: circumcision • SurveyUSA • San Francisco • male genital mutilation