Editorial Cartoon: San Francisco Circumcision Ban
So it seems our friends in San Francisco think there needs to be a ballot issue on the November election on whether or not to ban circumcisions, even for religious purposes (see here).
I am all for parents deciding whether or not to circumcise their child. However, I completely disagree with this ballot initiative and find some of the tactics by the proponents a bit out of bounds. For one they liken it to female genital mutilation that goes on in some parts of the world. All medical experts I found said it is in no way true.
Then they began releasing a series of comic books called Foreskin Man that highlight in one issue a doctor and another a mohel (Rabbi who performs the circumcision for Jewish boys) who are evil beings that will do anything to circumcise a boy even against his parent’s wishes. Brian Hagen of Pen Grenades believes it has crossed the line into an anti-semitic rant (Go read his review).
Whether it has or not, all the proponents of the legislature have done is remove all meaningful dialogue from the discussion.
91 Responses to “Editorial Cartoon: San Francisco Circumcision Ban”
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Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha that’s the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long while. Great work Big Guy
Thanks. Obviously the people on Reddit don’t share you opinion as evidenced above by all the downvotes.
Thanks for directing me to Reddit via your Reddit cartoon, I signed up & get heaps of visitors from there now. I will go vote it up
You are one step ahead of me then.
My last 2011 Rat Odyssey strip where they saw the Monolith on the moon got 6 “Down” votes. Reddit readers suck!!!
I guess I’m not good at accepting negative criticism
But you got slot of hater visitors right? Haha
I’m with Tony here. You actually found an inoffensive way to illustrate this. Ood work Bearman.
That is supposed to be good work.
Actually I liked “ood” work better
I will make Ood my word of the day thus looking for a situation at work where I can fit it into a sentence.
I feel ood too.
We’re all ood one way or another.
Some are “etter” than others
This is one of the oodist streams of comments I have been involved in lately.
I guess it is etter ood than ad.
Lad ou pprove
Hey I came across Ood on another comic site. I didn’t know they were real
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ood
But are they “Ood” are “ad”?
Blahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahhahahahaha I nearly choked on my coffee, Bearman. That is so friggin funny
You are supposed to steep the coffee beans not swlow them by the handful
Shame no one Down Under knows where the hell San Francisco is or I would be wearing that on a tee!!!!
No one knows what you are ever talking about so that shouldn’t stop you
Awww….I listen to you. (sometimes)
… but that snake will just shed his foreskin eventually … and grow another bigger one.
But they shrink in cold water
That has got to be one of the most retarded laws I have seen go up in awhile.
Stick around. Someone is bound to top it.
you couldn’t be right about that.
I “couldn’t” or I could? haha
Hahaha, great comic
Very clever and comical way of illustrating this topic 
And color coded for accuracy
You nailed this one Bearman! In fact, its beyond perfection, the rest of the cartooning world can now lay down its pen and call it a day! YOU-HAVE-WON! Brilliant!
Thanks. What do I win? I’ll be waiting by the door. Don’t disappoint me like the Publishers Clearinghouse people.
Awesome! I’m sharing this!
Thanks
Jason. Thought you might appreciate this one.
Hahahahaha! The resemblance is uncanny…not that I’ve ever seen one.
You haven’t seen a snake? Haha
I’m from San Francisco and I had not even heard of this thing…
Always beware of people who grab for the law to try to make other people behave the way they do. This course always leads to abuse.
Don’t they sell newspapers and have news casts where you live?
It’s not the size of the “snip,” it’s the commotion of the notion.
That is so funny I can’t top it with a better retort
Wow. That’s a real honor…lol.
Brilliant cartoon! As I just posted on Facebook – wish I’d done this one!
The best comment I heard about the San Francisco bill was from a cartoonist. He found it wonderfully ironic to ban body “mutilation” in the city with the country’s highest rate of piercing and tattooing.
I saw that comment. Too funny. And thanks for the inspiration
JTDG, as ever.
Just too damn good?
correct…………
Okay, here is a comment that might come from a person who would be stumbling upon your website for the first time.
“What a nasty gross cartoon!”
Now, a comment from me.
“What a shocking cartoon! Made my jaw drop when it first popped up in my RSS feed!”
I think that this one, above all others that I’ve had the pleasure of seeing on yoru website, will remain seared into my cerebellum long after I ceased to be a functioning unit.
Thank you corrupting my innocent and tender brain cells.
All I know is that you should be lucky. Originally I was going to draw real penile units with the uncircumcised one oozing urinary tract infections and STDs
Nobody draws a trouser snake like you do, Bearman.
Personally, I’m all for circumcision if that’s what you wanna do. The choice is yours. I don’t believe that it’s maiming or mutilation at all. Great cartoon and way to portray everything safely, B.
I figure you could give m a run for my money
Hey, what are those gigantic brown snakes in the background?
Don’t even think for a minute that the TREES are anything more than that
*sigh*
Honestly…
you couldn’t make this stuff up. I just… wow.
Sadly no. These thing write themselves sometimes
And the plot always stinks.
This was a perfect cartoon to create dialogue and not just reactionist sentiment. Fantastic work and representation.
To me, circumcision isn’t a religion or a mutilation – it’s a choice. Some parents make it, some parents don’t. That’s the way it should stay. I find it interesting that so many people who identify themselves as “pro-choice” are oddly behind this crusade to take choice away.
It seems people who want free choice often only want you to have free choice if you choose what they want.
Just like my dad used to say…”do as I say, not as I do”
Kellie I hadn’t seen anything that this was a prochoice type movement. If so, then we have a whole mother level to go o with this
This makes me want to protect my member…and any innocent pink snakes in the backyard.
If you have a bunch of pink snakes hanging around, that gives me a whole new perspective
I love an intact foreskin
How does that not surprise me. Haha
nothing ceases to amaze me anymore about people and their ridiculous causes! Do they really think they have a chance in hell to win?
Sadly you can never be so sure
ok. this is RIDICULOUS.
not only is it nothing like female circumcision, not even in the slightest – but it is unsanitary for guys not be circumcised. AND, it’s just weird. AND, it’s not like the baby even remembers.
with women, they do that shit when they’re like ten yrs old and totally awake. um, no comparison.
idiots. I hate california.
As I said they lost a lot of credibility with their argument when they brought it up. It’s like me saying I can understand menstrual cramps because I get constipated every once in a while.
There’s nothing unsanitary about having a foreskin. Washing underneath it probably makes shower time even more fun
Maybe she likes her men clean shaven.
Wow, how did I miss this one, I thought I checked back in! Outrageous! Ha,ha,ha!
Sundays and Wednesdays is when I try to post. I just don’t promote that because I know someone will hold me to it.
Brilliant cartoon, Bearman. One of your best. I doubt any other cartoon on the subject will come anywhere near to topping that.
As to circumcision itself, my impression is that this is largely a religious (jews, Muslims) or cultural (USA) thing. It is certainly not very common in UK or Europe !
I agree with earlier commentators that circumcision should be a ‘personal’ choice – but to me that means the guy who ‘owns’ the penis making the decision. If the decision is made by the parents that is ‘parental’ choice – it is not ‘personal’ choice
Thanks Dunc. I doubt anyone else will even try tackling the subject. haha
Now does that personal choice in your opinion extend to whether a kid wants to be aborted or even just vaccinated?
I agree with you. This law is waste of time and effort. If some group really wanted to slow this down (I think getting it done is a good idea) then they should just start an educational campaign to change parents minds. You don’t need some dumb law.
Exactly…education campaign might have gone a lot further than scare tactics.
hey check this out – maybe you are related
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-70pound-tortoise-lifted-from-lincolnwood-pet-store-20110702,0,7600125.story
No relation but I find it funny that in the com
Ents about circumcision that you would link to an article written by someone named Wang
Come on SF. Don’t be the stereotype everyone thinks you are. This should be a parental issue plan and simple. Well at least this nonsense provide you the material for a fantastic cartoon. You handle this really well. Using snakes and the dialogue are both great.
If it wasn’t for the crazy people in the world I wouldn’t have much fun
I wish my parents had’ve got my foreskin preserved so I could’ve worn it on a chain around my neck. I never really got a chance to get to know it. Oh well I guess it’s with me in spirit…
I had mine made into a wallet. When you rub it it becomes a suitcase.
Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!
HAHAHAHA!! I’m laughing on the outside, but on the inside I’m cringing. The visual brought back some awkward memories, Bear.
Sorry. I didn’t mean for it to hit so close.
Really the hillarios one.Great making of cartoon really.I just like the approach you took with this subject. It isn’t every day that you discover something so concise and enlightening.
They made comic books about it?! I can see the movie trailer:
\In a world with no forseeable foreskin… one man dares to wear a crown of thorns for wearing a crown… of foreskin.\ Cut to alley chases with crotch spotlights and Invasion of the Body Snatcher people pointing and doing that weird moan they do…
Great minds think alike! Don’t get mad and I swear I didn’t take influence from your ‘toon, but I have a comic coming out….similar. Except it involves caterpillars and nothing to do with getting snipped, but just looks in general
Sure sure….first George and now you stealing from me. Can’t wait to see it.
The people in San Francisco are brainwashed. They are also among the biggest bigots even though they are so very liberal. Bunch of idiots if you ask me and Pelosi is leading the pack.
This is no ones business except the parents. Period.
Have a terrific day.
I think I touched a nerve..haha Thanks.