Inhumane

Over the past week I have had several mind opening experiences. Becoming a grandfather can do that to a man. But one thing that not only opened my mind, but shocked me was something that I experienced over 45 years ago. Not that I remember it mind you, well maybe somewhere in my deep subconscious. What brought it back to my memory, or at least the thought of it, was Friday while visiting my new grandson, Rylan at the hospital. As we were there admiring the little beauty, the nurse came in.

"We will be performing the circumcision tonight, there are a few things I want to go over with you about the procedure."

Just the word made me wince. But then of course, the new curious mother wanted to know the details of what was going to be done to her one day old infant.

"Well we begin by placing him in straps and then we will insert three needles into his scrotum to numb him..."

All four of the men that were in the room bent over and made groaning noises.

"That is not as bad as it used to be, back just a few years ago we didn't numb them. But don't worry the baby won't remember it."

When I returned the next day, I got to change my grandson's diaper for the first time. When I pulled back the diaper and saw what the doctors had done to him, I winced again. His mother, who was so proud of her macho newborn says...

"The nurse said he only cried when they gave him the shot to numb him and he just laid there while they did the actual cutting."

I had to let someone else finish the diapering.