The Guardian tells us there are FGM “parties” in the UK. No punch, no cheese straws, no gossip, just carving up of little girls’ genitals.
The cutting of girls at female genital mutilation “parties” is still going on in Britain and not just taking place abroad, healthcare experts have told MPs.
The Commons home affairs select committee has heard that “cutters” – often older women – are flown into Britain for the events, at which as many as a dozen girls may be operated on.
“Operated on”? Don’t be silly, Graun – the cutters are not surgeons, and what they do is not an operation. They carve up little girls’ genitals.
That is appalling and horrific. Who are these abusive people, and how do they get into the country? Why aren’t they arrested?
Isn’t this practicing medicine without a license? Isn’t that illegal?
Yes, let’s DO call things by their right names. These butchers are not “carving” – “carvings” are often beautiful works of art that command high prices.
No, these butchers are “butchering”. The only difference is that the livestock are still alive.
Well now let’s not get silly about it, Blanche. “Butchering” is often the first step to a delicious meal, too.
Nobody wants anyone carving their genitals. I wasn’t euphemizing it.
I take it the (missing?) link is to
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/may/06/female-genital-mutilation-parties-uk-mps
Anyway, I could not find it in Ophelia’s article. My eye doctor tells me I’m slowly going blind, so perhaps that is the reason. 😉
I would not quibble over use of the term ‘operation’ by the article’s author, Alan Travis. The article is heavy on voices condemning FGM and so ultra-light on cultural relativism and pomo political correctness that all there is left is to take issue over ‘operated upon’. Yet ‘operation’ is not exclusively a human-medical term, being used frequently re vets, livestock handlers etc.
.
The Grauniad seems to me to be slowly but steadily pulling itself out of the relativist bog. Credit where it’s due. 😉
Omar:
You wouldn’t quibble. Fine. The rest of us will. Trying to disguise the horrible practice of FGM by calling it an “operation” is misleading and dishonest.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/operation
None of the above definitions of operation applies to FGM. You may not care about being precise with your language, but others do.
Also, I note your use of “politically correct”. I’ve found that people who use the term have a general disdain for multiculturalism and progressive values. Why are you at FtB?
@ 7
“I note your use of “politically correct”. I’ve found that people who use the term have a general disdain for multiculturalism and progressive values.”
Perhaps you need a larger sample, some progressives are actually concerned by institutionalised multiculturalism, particularly when it’s used to justify human rights violations.
Definition 4 actually does apply, Tony. “a procedure performed on a living body” is pretty fucking broad. The “especially” part doesn’t limit the scope of a definition.
The connotation is completely wrong though, and it is well worth criticizing the author for making this word choice, I disagree with Omar.
“Parties”, even with the scare-quotes, is horrible too. I know there are space limitations in print, but come on.
To further clarify, my point is that even though a definition may apply to something, that is far from enough to make it the right choice of word.
And both the OP is absolutely correct to note that this choice was light years across the line into terribleness in a way that surely must have been clear to the author and editors of the article.
Tony @#7:
Apparently there has been a meeting of all here at some time and place to establish the B&W party line. I must have missed it. And eager to conform, I have googled for it, but without success.
.
“None of the above definitions of operation applies to FGM. You may not care about being precise with your language, but others do.”
How about your definition #4: “a procedure performed on a living body usually with instruments….”?
.
“Also, I note your use of ‘politically correct’. I’ve found that people who use the term have a general disdain for multiculturalism and progressive values. Why are you at FtB?”
Oh, I dunno. It seemed like a good idea when I first dropped in here AS A FREE THINKER what was it… 20 years ago?
But right now I am considering two other possibilities:
1. The Thought Police have set up a B&W command, with you in charge of it;
2. You might just be in over your head here.
RJW:
Noted. Thank you.
****
dmcclean:
Yeah, I did think the “especially” part was limiting the scope of the definition. My apologies. I was wrong.
****
Omar:
No, there was no meeting and as far as I can tell, there is no B&W party line. The only thing I was hinting at (which I’ll now make explicit) is that overall, the bloggers at FtB tend to hold progressive values. Do you [hold those values]?
How silly. I have no desire to monitor and control your thoughts. Nothing in my comment even hints at such a desire.
Tony:
The original Guardian article which my first post provided the link to is headed:
“Female genital mutilation parties being held in UK, MPs told”
Subheaded: “Health professionals tell committee that ‘cutters’ are flown into Britain for events at which up to a dozen girls may be mutilated”
If you have not yet done so, may I respectfully suggest that you read it?
The use of the term ‘mutilation’ rather than more culturally-approvalistic others such as ‘circumcision’ shows IMHO that the author of the piece does not sympathise with the barbaric practitioners of FGM nor does he approve of the barbaric practice itself. Further reading of the article IMHO confirms this. A cultural relativist under the baleful influence of postmodernism (pomo for short) quite possibly would. It has been known.
.
“…overall, the bloggers at FtB tend to hold progressive values. Do you [hold those values?
Firstly, you will have to be more specific. As a former Marxist, I am not sure what these days can be taken to constitute ‘progressive values’.
Secondly, this is the only FTB site I ever visit. I do not have the time or the inclination to go to others, B&W IMHO is among the best of them, if not THE best. What more need be said?