genital integrity

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/first-the-bagel-now-the-mohel/

Whatever that phrase means, it's rather amusing.

I'd have to wonder as well why the circumcision rate is so high. Or, if I was to be culturally ignorant, ask why it's so low in the Western portions of the country by comparison (probably because the population is predominated by Latinos). Supposedly there were medical reasons to have this done, or at least, there are medical 'experts' who claim it should be done. Some of these even sound legitimate (things like a less-bacterial prone environment). But I'd have to ask, why if this is so 'good' do we call it mutilation when a woman is circumcised? It seems to me that it's fairly well mutilation either way. Doing the circumcision seems like removing someone's tonsils when there's nothing wrong with them. On the plus side, it does seem like the religious ritualistic aspects are fading. But they're being justified with mixed scientific views now instead. It always amazes me when religion and science become allies. (Intelligent design anyone?).