Copied and pasted: Dreams of Justice Yesterday was the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s famous I Have a Dream speech. Its been posted and reposted all over my newsfeed and was even Googles homepage image. I took some time earlier to read his speech and reflect on it. What a courageous man. He stood up for justice and risked everything. He helped spark change in a culture that refused to take a look at itself and what it was doing to its own citizens. Maybe we have come a long ways since those days, but I think we still have much longer to go before his dreams of justice are realized. Although Dr. King was talking specifically about racial equality, I cant help but see how relevant his words are in regards to so many things in our culture today. His words were screaming to me about another injustice in our culture. The injustice that surrounds routine male infant circumcision. Here, again, our culture is refusing to take a look at what it is doing to its very own citizens. Now, before you roll your eyes, hear me out. I promise to keep this short. Ive already taken the time to lay out information about circumcision and you can find it here. I have some serious and pressing questions. Why are we so quick to take what our doctors tell us as absolute truth? Do we realize that they are human and make mistakes? Why dont we see that were one of the only nations that continues to remove a healthy body part from its most vulnerable, voiceless citizens? Why are we ok with sugar water as an acceptable pain reliever for surgery? What?? Is it possible that our medical professionals can be knowledgable about most things, but misinformed about others? Is it possible that our culture has so influenced what is taught in medical and nursing schools, that myths and misinformation continues to spread? Is it possible that other countries and other medical professionals around the world might know something that we dont? Are we that proud that we cant accept that someone else might know something more than we do? Why are we so quick to turn a blind eye to the millions of babies who are circumcised every year in the name of parental rights, religion, and the almighty dollar? Why is it brushed under the rug that the same number (if not more) of baby boys die in this country from circumcision complications every year than they do from SIDS? Why do we risk death and other complications for a hypothetical and highly unlikely infection or problem? Why is the burden of proof on those of us that choose not to have our newborns undergo a medically unnecessary surgery? Shouldnt the burden of proof be on those that promote circumcision? Why are girls treated with creams and antibiotics when they get infections or adhesions, but boys have the most sensitive part of their bodies removed? How does this make any sense? How is this ok? Why doesnt our culture care about the rights of baby boys, but screams at the injustice of girls rights being violated by circumcision in other parts of the world? Why arent we screaming about both? This is unjust. This is inequality. This is happening every day right under our noses. It is 2013, right? I will tell you what I dream of. I dream of a day when boys and girls alike are protected from forced circumcision. I dream of a day when doctors, nurses, and midwives tell parents the truth and take the burden of the decision off of their shoulders. I dream of a day when this is no longer an issue. I wont be silent until that day comes.
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 15:31:18 +0000
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