Man sentenced to three years for attempting to circumcise son

The Associated Press

VANCOUVER, Wash. — A Ridgefield man has been sentenced to three years in prison for attempting to circumcise his 8-year-old son at home with a hunting knife.

Edwin Baxter, 33, was sentenced yesterday in Clark County Superior Court. A jury convicted Baxter last week of assault of a child.

"I pray God will have mercy on me," Baxter said.

He was arrested on Sept. 3. Baxter said he tried the procedure on his son after reading about it in the Bible. He called 911 when he felt his son was losing too much blood.

According to 911 tapes played in court, Baxter told the dispatcher, "Long story short, sir? I was studying my Bible and decided to circumcise my 8-year-old."

The defense argued that Baxter did not intend to harm his son and that the boy has fully recovered.


http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002121358_websentencing16.html

__________________
...Tracy

'00 ML320 "Casper"
'92 400E "Stella"

You need a license to hunt, fish, drive a car, fly a plane, but child rearing they let anyone do.

The Bible contains instructions on how to do this?

Must have been in the Book of Peter!

Surprised it's not offered as a Time/Life "How To" series!

__________________
2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

Idiot! That's what Mohels are for.

__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)

My question is how did he get the kid to stand or sit still for this?

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

"Dad believed that laughter was the best medicine . . . which is probably why three of us died of tuberculosis . . ."

yikes! I have an 8 year old and its tough to get him to sit still for a haircut even if he wants his hair cut.....I think a hunting knife surgery would be out of the question for us....

The quips aside, there are so many horrific tragedies in this story. First we have the seemingly sick in the head dad. 2nd is his psycho-like alleged statement of following the bible, 3rd is the callous brutality of the act, 4th is the court’s decision to put the guy in prison for years. I don't think anyone but the dad would suggest letting him back on the streets, and maybe not even him. How does the punishment serve the interests of justice? And what of the wife and 9.5 children? Was this perhaps a ploy for dad to get away? The dad did turn down a plea bargain that would have let him off with time served.

__________________
...Tracy

'00 ML320 "Casper"
'92 400E "Stella"

Circumcisions seems pretty brutal to me at any age under most conditions, especially when you read of the poor children who have accidently lost their penis from botched circumcisions.
I was surprised to learn the other day that Muslim circumcisions are traditionally performed at age 4 or later.

I've only know one man who had a circumcision as an adult. He did not describe the procedure in glowing terms.

This thread reminded me of a long forgotten experience. Back in the 70's I belonged to a black Pentecostal church. Theology, aside, the services were great because people knew how to sing and dance. One thing that I found odd, even back then, was that they routinely sang a song with these words. "We are the circumcision, who worship God inthe Spirit". It seemed unusual to be referring to the male genitalia in church.

Can you imagine what people would think if Pat Robertson or Paul Crouch starting singing songs about how they felt the Spirit of the Lord at work in their clitoris?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I agree that circumcision is a brutal practice. Perhaps it is from this fountain that other forms of bodily mutilation find such broad acceptance? Odd that some cultures world would save this process until most victums are old enough to remember it. Whew!

What was the reason(s) cited in the Bible for support of circumcision?

I had to laugh. The comment reminded me of the punch line to a joke where the story’s hero sits next to the cash register and sings “Oh what a friend we have in Jesus.”

__________________
...Tracy

'00 ML320 "Casper"
'92 400E "Stella"