{"id":3821,"date":"2011-07-05T16:09:38","date_gmt":"2011-07-05T20:09:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/news\/?p=3821"},"modified":"2011-07-05T16:09:38","modified_gmt":"2011-07-05T20:09:38","slug":"san-franciscos-attorney-questions-proposed-circumcision-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/2011\/07\/san-franciscos-attorney-questions-proposed-circumcision-ban","title":{"rendered":"San Francisco’s attorney questions proposed circumcision ban"},"content":{"rendered":"

By LAUREN MARKOE ~ c. 2011 Religion News Service<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a potential blow to the proposed San Francisco circumcision ban, the city’s top lawyer has concluded it is unconstitutional to ban the practice as a religious ritual, but allow it as a medical procedure.<\/p>\n

The measure, now headed toward the Nov. 8 ballot, would ban nearly all infant circumcisions.<\/p>\n

A lawsuit arguing that no California city can regulate a medical procedure that is allowed by the state will be heard on July 15. The plaintiffs are a group of Jews and Muslims, groups that practice ritual circumcision.<\/p>\n

Should they win, a narrower ban exempting medical circumcision could apply only to circumcision as a religious practice. And that would defy the First Amendment, according to a brief recently filed by the city attorney.<\/p>\n

“San Franciscans cannot be asked to vote on whether to prohibit religious minorities from engaging in a particular religious practice, when the same practice may be performed under nonreligious auspices,” wrote Chief Deputy City Attorney Therese Stewart.<\/p>\n

The proposed ban, sponsored by groups who are opposed to what they consider the genital mutilation of boys, has angered Jews, Muslims and others who consider circumcision to be a parent’s choice.<\/p>\n

“The city’s response was completely political,” said Georganne Chapin, executive director of Intact America, an anti-circumcision group that did not sponsor the proposed ban, but supports its intent.<\/p>\n

“It is not aimed at Jewish circumcision,” Chapin said. “It’s aimed at the involuntary circumcision of all minors, irrespective of religion.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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