Mustn't Forget the Crime of Circumcision

 

There is something unattractive about very definitely grown up children who blame parents for things that are not going quite right in their lives.  Decidedly unappealing but more common than you might think and in recent months I have stumbled across more than a handful of these middle aged misfits.

For instance there’s the thirty eight year old currently heaping liability upon her elderly parents for not recognizing her musical talent when she was at primary school.   Had she started piano lessons earlier she might well by now have joined the world circuit of concert pianists.

Then there’s the thirty seven year old who was forced – yes forced to practice the violin day after day because he, poor lad, was unlucky enough to have the kind of observant parents who did notice his musical talent;  just imagine that!   It’s led to all kinds of complexes.

I mustn’t forget to include the forty two year old who was sent to an expensive single sex boys’ school when he would have been so much happier at the local Comprehensive ….oh and he was compelled to do Calculus when he yearned for Cookery – poor chap, you can understand why he feels he’s been let down in a big way.   

I cannot ignore the hoards of  unfortunates who were sent to  schools with decidedly religious foundations (Catholic, Anglican, Jewish, Muslim) because their undoubtedly well-meaning but quite irresponsible parents failed to see that their child was simply not cut out for Faith.  You have to feel quite wretched for them don’t you? -  the offspring, not the parents I mean.

And can you imagine what it must have been like for all those luckless little prodigies in Russia during the Cold War who were herded into Dance Academies and Circus Schools when what they might have dreamed about was Advanced Mathematics or Political Studies.  The harm that was heaped upon them is not pretty to contemplate is it?

As for the ill-fated closer to home, you have to shed a tear or two for those kids compelled to undergo home schooling programmes operated by sadistic parents who undoubtedly knew their child was desperate to go back for another bout with the classroom bullies.

Look, I could go on and on – I mean I haven’t even touched on the subject of the vicious and inhuman couples who actually allowed their helpless infant sons to be circumcised.   Totally barbaric, I’m sure you’ll agree. One of these victims, a man in his forties recently charged his father with `the amputation’ of his penis.  And guess what? – that unfeeling old eighty one year old absolutely refuses to take responsibility for his son’s subsequent failure in life.   In fact I won’t even tell you what his response was – it’s too rude!