A Massachusetts Bill now in the hands of the Joint Committee of the Judiciary seeks to ban all circumcision performed on anyone under the age of eighteen without their express consent, unless there is a compelling medical need to perform the procedure.
The bill specifically bans circumcision for religious reasons.
Should this bill pass, performing a circumcision on anyone under the age of eighteen without their consent would be punishable by a fine, imprisonment of up to fourteen years, or both.
Charles A. Antonelli, a Delivery Compliance Administrator for IBM Global Services in Boston, began his quest to ban circumcision in minors in February 2006, submitting a bill to the Massachusetts General Court.
The Joint Committee on the Judiciary will hold a public hearing on the bill on March 2, 2010 at the Massachusetts State House.
State Senator Michael Morrissey who’s name appears on the bill released the following statement to VIN News saying, “In Massachusetts, it is the state law that any resident may file a bill through his local representative or senator. My name is not on the bill, it is filed “by request” on behalf of the constituent.
“If I agreed with the bill, I would have sponsored it. This constituent has filed this bill several times in the past, and it has never made it out of committee. While I do not support the bill, I respect his right to file it.”
what is that supposed to mean??
does it not sound to you like what the greeks decreed on the jews during the era of chanuka??
if you cannot feel and fear for what is going on, then you must not realize how bad this golus is and how much louder we must scream ad mosai!!
this is sick
Perhaps we shouldn’t be allowed to immunize our children until they turn 18 & can give their consent!
If this isn’t antisemitism what is??????????????
oh common do you really need to say something like that?
is the fact that it even came up. true that it wont be progressing any further but this is not a new topic. as of late, as a college student, i have been hearing some of my more secular professors remark on how circumcision should be banned and the like. yes, it is like Soviet Russia, three cheers for religious freedom?
Oh bill of rights how you protect and also bother us so
So maybe someone in Massachusetts should present a bill that every school child there should learn the seven Laws of Noach?
If that isn’t a wakeup call Yidden I don’t know what is!!!!!
Sorry to hear.
I suggest getting the consent of the baby.
sounds like the olden days
What about Sweden, the country in which i live, its been banned ever since Hitler Yemach shmo came to power in year 1935, circumcision has been banned (Shchita too, but that came later).
It is the same in many, if not in most of other european states.
that is the funniest thing i have read in a while….. “nobody does a bris like you.” hehe thanks for the laughter!
“. . . unless there is a compelling medical need to perform the procedure.
The bill specifically bans circumcision for religious reasons. ”
For those two reasons alone the bill is unconstitutional under the U.S. Constitution’s free exercise clause.
Additionally, even assuming it can somehow be construed as neutral (you’d have to check) or generally applicable (it’s clearly not), MA’s FE clause hasn’t been interpreted as narrowly as the U.S.’s to apply only in cases of non-neutrality/general applicability.
They couldn’t have proposed a dumber bill. It’s a joke, and it’s clearly going nowhere.
I spoke to Rabbi Rachmiel Liberman, Shaliach in Boston. He told me that this bill has been filed several times in the past and that it’s not going to be released from committee.
the mass liberals are at it again
sound the alarm,call in the troops, get the fogelmans on the case, do something! stop this mishigass !!
if you read the actual article you wouldn’t be so worried. it says that everyone in massachusetts has the right to submit a bill through a congressman.
then it begins to be discussed. the senator said this one has been filed a number of times but has never made it out of committee which means that it has never gotten anywhere near passing.
so, there’s most likely nothing to worry about–either way it would violate freedom of religion
This bill cannot be passed as is because it is unconstitutional. Everyone relax.The constitution of the U.S.A. clearly states separation of church and state. There is no way the bill can be passed without modifications in the very least, and if it is, it can be investigated and nulled because, as i said before, it is UNCONSTITUTIONAL!
America is constitute on freedom of religion. Not to go and impose your religion on others that don’t have a choice that is NOT freedom of religion.
first shechita, then bris mila…wats next? shabbos??
It’s the freedom of speech that this man is exercising, anybody may propose a bill that doesn’t mean that it will pass.
Just thinking that
as it mentions in the article, its the opinion of one person who decided to get it passed as a law.
“This constituent has filed this bill several times in the past, and it has never made it”
so i dont think we have much to worry about
This just looks like a sensational news item – but nothing real. As the article states, anyone can file a bill. Filing a bill doesn’t mean anything. So if you live in Massachusetts and want to file a bill that bans dogs from wearing sweaters – go for it! This guy is getting his 5 seconds of fame.
what happened to freedom of religion?
This sounds like Communism or s/t!!!!!!!!! They can’t do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go rabbi heber go!!!no one does a bris like you!!!!
ho could they do that i live in M.A.