Crusade to Ban Circumcision Takes Anti-Semitic Turn
The image of a bearded, black-hatted Jew with an evil grin and a bloody blade seems straight out of the annals of classic European anti-Semitism.
In this case, however, it is straight out of the pages of a comic book that landed in the middle of a campaign to outlaw circumcision in San Francisco for males under the age of 18. “Foreskin Man,” featuring a blond, buff hero who battles dark, evil Jewish characters, has added a strange and possibly sinister element to the November initiative campaign, which was already heated.
The Anti-Defamation League, which was established to fight anti-Semitism, issued a statement Friday calling the book’s publication “an advocacy campaign taken to a new low.” A spokeswoman for San Francisco’s Jewish Community Relations Council called it “outrageous.”
“Foreskin Man” was written and created by Matthew Hess, a key figure behind the initiative to ban circumcision, which in the Jewish religion is considered central to the covenant between the Jewish people and God. It is also practiced ritually by Muslims, and for nonreligious reasons by some Christians and others.
Opponents consider it painful and barbaric, akin to female circumcision rites in Africa that have attracted international condemnation. Supporters say it has health benefits, and is only briefly painful.
Hess is president of a San Diego group, MGM Bill, which is also seeking signatures to put a similar measure on the ballot in Santa Monica.
In the comic, the blond superhero takes on “Monster Mohel” — a bearded, black-hatted man wearing a prayer shawl. In the traditional Jewish community, a mohel is a person trained to perform circumcisions. The “Monster Mohel,” who leers as he sets after a baby with bloody scissors, is flanked by gun-toting henchmen dressed in the traditional clothes of ultra-Orthodox Jews.
Most of the “good” characters in the book have blond or light-brown hair and features that might be termed Aryan.
The publication of the comic book was first reported Thursday by a San Francisco Chronicle columnist, Debra J. Saunders, who asked Hess if he considered it to be anti-Semitic. “A lot of people have said that, but we’re not trying to be anti-Semitic,” he replied. “We’re trying to be pro-human rights.”
Abby Michelson Porth, associate director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, called it alarming that Hess would use such images in the anti-circumcision campaign.
“The images, in addition to being offensive, are not particularly original,” she said. “They’re reminiscent of millennia-old stereotypes that have been used to persecute and oppress Jews.”
She said the measure to ban circumcision was “an affront to medical science, to the sacred relationship between physicians and the moms and dads with whom they are making this choice, and … would undermine the constitutional right to the free exercise of religion.”
Hess did not return phone calls Friday.
Below you will find a selection of images taken from Foreskin Man. You tell us: anti-Semitic or not?
sdf
this is very sad… even in america
what the....is all i can say
the plagues of ignorance and political correctness carry on
go-d-s right hand man
the humor and interests of men and women beyond a care of family is evident in german as well as san francisco cultures where reform jews have been questioning their existence since go-d knows when
remember the brit/circumcision is related to use of a knife/sword for peace and healing
J Rosner
Thankfully they are brazen enough not to hide their hatred for us. Let’s see if the enlightened liberals in Sodom (San Fransisco) will honestly face these nazis.
Don-t have to see everything
This is definitely horrifying… and in most cases it’s good to be informed about these things… but for the young people reading this website… and who knows how young… don’t you think it’s a little too gruesome for their eyes? Can you share the information without the shocking images that might do damage to our children?
Leah
I know you don’t allow links. However, if you google the words, “Hitler’s antisemitic posters” you will find examples that look similar.
yidden — WAKE UP! We must follow the advice the Rebbe gave us years ago. We need to work harder to bring Moshiach.
sam
what funny times we are living in
Rabbi Dr Edward F Goldstein
Without the images, self contented Jews would not be ired into opposition to this anti semitism. Regardless of the images, the fact that in America this kind of anti semitism exists. While there are too many nuts in California, the anti semites must get their comeuppance.
Leah Moses
Work harder to bring Moshiach, and if you’re not on Shlichut from the Rebbe, make Aliyah. Why is anyone who isn’t there for kiruv there? Our Father in Heaven has finally let us come HOME.
Not a funny matter
This is how it started then. take action or we will be in big truble
Andrea Schonberger
GROSS ME OUT!!! It’s obvious this guy has no talent to make it in the mainstream comic book industry so he caters to anti-semitic crackpots for his 15 minutes of fame. We do need Moschiach now!!
Republican
pathetic. this stinks of liberal pigs and their naive way of thinking.
gosh i HATE LIBERALS!
Dangerous stuff!
“International activists have been pressuring Monster Mohel to retire, but that will never happen. They will have to pry the scissors from his cold, dead hands.”
Sounds to me like these “activists” are advocating killing mohels, R”L (!), just like radical anti-abortion activists advocate killing doctors who perform abortions. This is not a joke!
nasty
Who put this up
No. Just plain no.
This is honestly the single most pathetic thing I have ever seen someone make.
Raizel M
This is Nonsense!
WE WANT MOSHIACH NOW!!!
Raizel
Just a Sec...
Just curious — if you wanted to portray your ideological opponents as evil-looking, what exactly would you do differently?
For example, if you wanted to wanted to portray Muslims as comic book villains, don’t you think they wouldn’t look too different than the “rabbis” in this comic? Or if you were making an anti-abortion comic, wouldn’t you make the doctors look evil?
My point is, in making someone look evil for idealogical reasons isn’t the same as promoting bigoted sentiments against a group; it’s just how you make your point in comic books.
Critical of New York Judges
You are right #10; you cannot let up your awareness of what is occuring around you. This should be stoped in the bud. The people of San Francisco are just left winged and politically correct to pass this bill. Then what? Election time is not that far off.
Miriam
Leah in post #6–can you narrow it down more/give more exact search directions? Thanks
Thinkster
Thie guy needs to be cut short.
antimesira
The Hypocrisy
When it comes to abortions these same liberals don’t wait until the unborn child is 18 years of age (so they can ask him if he wants to live).
But when it come to cutting a piece of for-skin all of a sudden they have a problem?
...
that is one ugly baby
Milhouse
#17, if you can look at this stuff and not immediately see it for the Nazi propaganda it is, then there’s no hope for you. There’s no need to reason this out: we don’t analyse it and deduce that perhaps there’s some sort of antisemitic animus behind it; rather, we look at it and we see the antisemitism just as we look at blue and see that it’s blue.
london
this comic is very horrific . We really need moshiach now.
frightened
To #10: You got it exactly right. We need to organize VERY vocal protests and stop this scourge before it spreads any farther! WE CANNOT IGNORE THIS!
This is horrible
Find out who wrote, edited and drew this filth and go after them too. It takws a lot of people to publish something like this.
Richard G Moss
Those who hate G-d will always hate His commandments and His people so it does not come as a surprise that these people still exist. For me it leads me to ask if America is the safe haven that it was assumed to be.
Doris Jaffe
Yidden – it’s time to take action. We have to fight to keep this bill OFF the ballot in San Francisco and anywhere else it may crop up. We need to defend our US Constitution (religious freedom for ALL). Just wishing for Moshiach Now is not enough. We need to take concrete action so become politically involved and stay within the law.