Involuntary Circumcision

I found this story on Ananova while looking for stories for Watson’s World News, a newspaper in easy English that I put together for my students.  I think it’s pretty funny.  The baby’s mother doesn’t think so.

Here’s the story.  Vera Delgado had a baby boy at South Miami Hospital.  Doctors circumcised him when he was 8 days old.  Jewish doctor?  Don’t know, the article didn’t say.   Anyway, Ms. Delgado is furious (or sees a chance to get some easy money).

“I didn’t want this for him. I’m opposed to circumcision. They didn’t have the right to do it,” she said.

A hospital spokesman said “The baby’s circumcision was an unfortunate mistake caused by a misread consent form. As soon as the error was discovered, the doctor and nurses let the family know what had occurred.”

But Ms. Delgado says that’s not enough. She has filed a lawsuit against the hospital and reported the doctor to police for assault.

You cut WHAT???

“It’s a big deal,” she said. “In the future, he’s going to ask why his dad is one way and he’s different.”

You know what, Ms. Delgado?  In the future, when your son asks why his dad is one way and he’s another, you’re going to explain to him what circumcision is, that millions of other boys are like him (which he will have already noticed) and that the hospital made a mistake.  You also, if you are smart, will explain to him that it’s no big deal.

I don’t really know what I think about this one.  One side of my brain says “greedy bitch with a totally fake grievance” and the other side of my brain says “hey, can’t blame her for trying, money’s money.”

Neither side of my brain is actually buying her “it’s a big deal” statement.  This is a little deal.  A teeny, tiny, eenie weenie little deal.

Yes, the pun is intentional.