hey great savage love this week! Transubstantiates is a big word! Really though, that was a good read.

I heard this herpes story a few weeks ago and it's still just as creepy the second time around.

Dan, on a purely aesthetic level, what do you prefer, cut or un-cut?

for what it's worth I used to think uncut was gross until I got with a real CHOICE uncut, and now I seek it out whenever I can.

I prefer cut—but if I'm with a cut guy I like him to be herpes-free and not brain damaged. Or dead, as was the case with one of the babies who was treatead to a Rabinical suck-off after his circumcision.

Agreed.

BTW, I would like to point out that this demonstrates Jews are not immune to nutty, religiously inspired cultural traditions. Woody Allen might have said spending a night with an insurance salesman was worse than death, but try spending a Friday evening listening to a bunch of Orthodox newbies argue about what you can or cannot do on the Sabbath. Oy!

"Neonatal herpes" is the most upsetting combination of words since "smooth jazz cruise."

Who knew that mohels (mohelim?) liked to suck dick so much. Brand new infant dick at that. Not quite in the same league as slicing off the clit with a piece of sharp flint at age 13, but pretty nasty nonetheless.

Abuse is not a protectable cultural tradition. What's next, allowing honor killings of rape victims just because they come from Jordan or Pakistan?

And another thing: where are all these ultra-religious mohels getting herpes in the first place? Have they been out "pastoring" like that Oklahoma preacher yesterday?