FGM

During the months following 9/11 there was a lot of discussion about the differences in cultures and how we should not interfere. In many respects that is true but there are limits. There is a practice in certain countries called female genital mutilation and that was made illegal by a federal law in 1996. This law was struck down by a federal judge in 2018. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman threw out mutilation and conspiracy charges against all the defendants. He ruled that a 1996 federal law that bans female genital mutilation was unconstitutional because Congress didn’t have the power to regulate the behavior in the first place. 24 states have strong laws that forbid this practice. State Rep. Mary Franson MN introduced legislation that would hold parents responsible for such activity but the bill is stalled. There is apprehension on the part of some that this may be seen as anti-Muslim or interfering in cultural practices.