I fully agree that a baby's individuality and human-ness (if human-ness derives from the ability to exercise a human consciousness) begins at birth. But so do his/her rights!
No one has any "right" to violate those rights and impose THEIR judgment of what his/her body should be (by altering natural, sensate, organic structures such as the foreskin of the penis, or the clitoris). Clearly, surgical interventions such as circumcision or clitoridectomy call for ADULT consent--obviously the responsible decision and consent of the individual (and only that individual) who will undergo such life-altering surgery. And such a momentus decision can only be made by him/her in adulthood.
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I fully agree that a baby's individuality and human-ness (if human-ness derives from the ability to exercise a human consciousness) begins at birth. But so do his/her rights!
No one has any "right" to violate those rights and impose THEIR judgment of what his/her body should be (by altering natural, sensate, organic structures such as the foreskin of the penis, or the clitoris). Clearly, surgical interventions such as circumcision or clitoridectomy call for ADULT consent--obviously the responsible decision and consent of the individual (and only that individual) who will undergo such life-altering surgery. And such a momentus decision can only be made by him/her in adulthood.
November 19, 2010 - 8:08amThis Comment
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