ADL Hails San Francisco Superior Court Decision Rejecting Circumcision Ballot Initiative

News provided by

Anti-Defamation League

28 Jul, 2011, 03:53 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Calling it an "affirmation of religious freedom and parental rights," the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today hailed a decision by a San Francisco Superior Court judge to reject a ballot initiative that would have criminalized the Jewish and Muslim rite of circumcision.

Judge Loretta M. Giorgi ruled that the California Business and Professions Code prohibits local regulation of medical procedures and that it "serves no legitimate purpose" for an illegal measure to remain on the ballot.

Nancy Appel, ADL Associate Regional Director, issued the following statement:

"This is a critical affirmation of religious freedom and parental rights.  The Court has rightly upheld the freedom for Jews and Muslims in San Francisco to choose to circumcise their children in accordance with long-standing religious tradition. 

"We were heartened by the fact the Court ignored the offensive argument that traditional ritual circumcision is somehow akin to the ghastly practice of female genital mutilation.  It is completely inappropriate and offensive to compare the two practices.

"We were shocked and outraged that some advocates on the other side choose to use anti-Semitic comic books to drive home their arguments.  We will continue to expose the bigotry inherent in those publications if they are used in support of similar pernicious initiatives elsewhere around the country."

ADL joined with a group of community organizations, doctors and Jewish and Muslim individuals in JCRC v. Arntz, a lawsuit challenging the November ballot initiative, which would criminalize the circumcision of males under the age of 18.

The coalition was represented by the San Francisco office of Morrison & Foerster.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.

SOURCE Anti-Defamation League

PRN Top Stories Newsletters

Sign up to get PRN’s top stories and curated news delivered to your inbox weekly!

Thank you for subscribing!

By signing up you agree to receive content from us.
Our newsletters contain tracking pixels to help us deliver unique content based on each subscriber's engagement and interests. For more information on how we will use your data to ensure we send you relevant content please visit our PRN Consumer Newsletter Privacy Notice. You can withdraw your consent at any time in the footer of every email you'll receive. Mit Ihrer Anmeldung erklären Sie sich damit einverstanden, Inhalte von uns zu erhalten.
Unsere Newsletter enthalten Zählpixel, die die Lieferung einzigartiger Inhalte in Bezug auf das Abonnement und die Interessen der einzelnen Abonnenten ermöglichen. Weitere Informationen über die Verwendung Ihrer Daten im Hinblick auf die Zusendung von relevanten Inhalten, finden Sie in unserer PRN Consumer Newsletter Privacy Notice. Ihre Zustimmung können Sie jederzeit in der Fußzeile jeder erhaltenen E-Mail widerrufen. En vous inscrivant à la newsletter, vous consentez à la réception de contenus de notre part.
Notre newsletter contient des pixels espions nous permettant la fourniture à chaque abonné, d’un contenu unique en lien avec ses souscriptions et intérêts. Pour de plus amples informations sur l’utilisation faite de vos données en vue de l’envoi des contenus concernés, nous vous invitons à consulter la politique de confidentialité disponible à partir du lien suivant PRN Consumer Newsletter Privacy Notice. Vous pouvez à tout moment revenir sur votre consentement par le biais des informations situées au bas de chaque e-mail reçu. Регистрирайки се, Вие се съгласявате да получавате информационно съдържание от нас. Нашите бюлетини съдържат проследяващи пиксели, които ни помагат да предоставяме уникално съдържание въз основа на ангажираността и интересите на всеки абонат. За повече информация относно начина, по който ще използваме Вашите данни, за да гарантираме, че Ви изпращаме подходящо съдържание, моля, направете справка с нашето Уведомление за поверителност на потребителския бюлетин на PRN. Можете да оттеглите съгласието си по всяко време в долния колонтитул на всеки от имейлите, които ще получите.