San Francisco considers circumcision ban

The people of the city of San Francisco, California, will be voting in November on whether or not to ban the practice of circumcision. There would be no religious exemption to the law, and a violation of the law would be punishable with fines up to $1,000 or one year in jail.

Jewish and Muslim groups fear the proposed law would keep them from fully practicing their religion in the city, and several Christian groups have also attacked the campaign as a violation of religious freedom. Supporters say the law does not target any religion, and is a public health issue.

“It’s silly to say there is not a religious dimension to it,” says Eric Rassbach, the National Litigation Director at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. “Circumcision arose as a religious practice, and most people…know it arose out of the Jewish faith originally, and it is still a duty, and an important one, within the Jewish faith.”

He also says the “public health" excuse is a weak one.

“The problem with the argument that circumcision [is a public health issue] is first of all there have been no medical statements out there that say this is a problem, and of course paediatricians across the United States, at least, do this all of the time,” he told Vatican Radio. “The American Academy of Paediatrics also takes that position. So to the extent they are trying to say there is a medical reason not to [circumcise], there really isn’t one.”

Listen to the full interview by Charles Collins with Eric Rassbach: