@EuphonicSound@MichaelFreilich@goedeleliekens Singling out a Jewish ritual and labeling it as backward or grotesque feeds into a long history of anti-Semitic rhetoric disguised as progressivism.
@EuphonicSound@MichaelFreilich@goedeleliekens Let’s be honest — calling it 'disgusting' isn’t about health, it’s about cultural intolerance. If concern for infants were truly the issue, there’d be a much broader conversation about all forms of neonatal interventions and how they're handled
@EuphonicSound@MichaelFreilich@goedeleliekens Jews have a 3,000-year track record with circumcision and MBP, and communities have evolved practices to align with both halacha and safety
@EuphonicSound@MichaelFreilich@goedeleliekens Banning MBP would violate religious freedom. Even for people who don’t understand or agree with the practice, in a pluralistic society we allow religious rituals — even those that seem foreign or strange — as long as they're not shown to cause disproportionate harm
@EuphonicSound@MichaelFreilich@goedeleliekens Yet these are not framed as “disgusting” or targeted for bans. So the outrage often says more about cultural bias than genuine concern for health.
@EuphonicSound@MichaelFreilich@goedeleliekens Risk exists in many accepted cultural practices. For example, neonatal hospital circumcisions in the U.S. — done with sterile tools — have had serious complications, including amputations and even deaths due to anesthesia
@EuphonicSound@MichaelFreilich@goedeleliekens Metzitzah B’peh (MBP) is not some bizarre, unhygienic ritual. It originates in ancient Jewish medical tradition where suction was used to cleanse the wound post-circumcision — a practice echoed in various ancient medical systems
@EuphonicSound@MichaelFreilich@goedeleliekens "Metzitzah B’peh is often criticized with visceral language, but much of that criticism is based on incomplete information, double standards, and a lack of understanding of the religious, historical, and medical context.
@EuphonicSound@MichaelFreilich@goedeleliekens From a legal perspective, the U.S. Constitution protects freedom of religion, including religious rites like this one.
Health and safety are taken very seriously Bris Milah is done with great care and hygiene, and the complication rates are extremely low to zero
@EuphonicSound@MichaelFreilich@goedeleliekens 2. It is not a 'non-essential' procedure to the Jewish community – Bris Milah is a core mitzvah that dates back thousands of years. For observant Jews, it’s a fundamental part of identity, continuity, and covenant with God
@EuphonicSound@MichaelFreilich@goedeleliekens 1. Bris Milah is not performed 'in back rooms' – it is a sacred religious ceremony performed in a clean and controlled environment, in homes or synagogues, by trained professionals Many mohelim are also licensed medical doctors, and all undergo extensive training
@goedeleliekens Joden betalen ook belastingen!! en wij maken ook deel uit van de Belgische samenleving, en Michael heeft het volste recht om onze belangen te beschermen