No circumcisions in SF?

If one man has his way, San Francisco voters will be able to ban circumcision in San Francisco:

His proposed measure would “make it a misdemeanor to circumcise, excise, cut or mutilate the foreskin, testicle or penis of another person who has not attained the age of 18,”

[snip]

Under the proposed measure circumcising a boy would result in a fine of up to $1,000 and up to one year in jail.

Right now it’s a weird little story but, this being San Francisco, I actually don’t see him having that much trouble getting the 7,100 signatures he needs to make it a ballot initiative.

For those of my readers clutching their crotches right now, it’s worth noting that, in addition to being an integral part of the Jewish faith, not to mention a very ordinary American practice, that there is one distinct advantage to circumcision:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, circumcision has been associated with a lower risk for HIV infection in international studies and clinical trials, and serious complications with circumcision are rare.

I recognize that the nature of circumcision is such that the baby has no say in a procedure that affects him for the rest of his life. Nevertheless, I can’t escape the feeling that this is not a matter that should be legislated away, regardless of whether one is pro- or anti-circumcision.