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From: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: THE CIRCUMCISION DECISION
Message-ID: <294@unc.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 30-Mar-85 23:55:17 EST
Article-I.D.: unc.294
Posted: Sat Mar 30 23:55:17 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 2-Apr-85 00:03:44 EST
References: <2298@drutx.UUCP> <307@ssc-bee.UUCP> <ahuta.550>
Reply-To: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann)
Organization: CS Dept., U. of N. Carolina at Chapel Hill
Lines: 26
Summary: 

In article <ahuta.550> hsc@ahuta.UUCP (h.cohen) writes:
>REFERENCES:  <2298@drutx.UUCP>, <307@ssc-bee.UUCP>
>
>Jews and Moslems, among others, practice ritual circumcision of
>male children.  Mike Eve's bombastic reference to "... ignorant
>sheepherders who never washed..." is gratuitous anti-Semitism
>and extremely offensive.  Of course, it is also totally irrelevant
>to the circumcision issue.  My impression is that Mr. Eve finds
>circumcision personally, subjectively repellant for esthetic
>(or neurotic?) reasons, and that this strong feeling requires
>a scapegoat.  Shame on you, Mr. Eve.
>Harvey S. Cohen  ahuta!hsc

Circumcision probably did not originate among Hebrews.
It is may well have been a practice of many tribes in
that and other areas.  It may or may not have originated
among sheep herders.  Very few of these prehistoric people
enjoyed indoor plumbing, and fewer still attended an
accredited university.  Thus, to call them ignorant sheepherders
who never washed, is at best a reasonable hypothesis,
and at worst a sloppy exaggeration.

Haven't you ever heard of the boy who cried wolf?
Let's save our flames for anti-semites who really mean it.

	Frank Silbermann