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{{FromIntactWikiPhotoMissing}}|Title=The late '''Van Lewis''' was an American intactivist ({{LifeData|URLbirth=http://intactwiki.org/w/index.php?title1943-05-17|birthplace=Van_Lewis&oldidTallahassee, {{USSC|FL}}|death=22502011-06-06}}).

'''Van Lewis''' was an American and his brother [[Benjamin Lewis]] carried the first modern [[intactivist (May 17, 1943 - June 6, 2011)]] protest, born on December 17th of 1970 in front of the [https://www.tmh.org/ Tallahassee, Memorial Hospital] in Florida. Van and Benjamin were arrested for "shouting and disturbing the peace". Charges were dismissed the following days.

Van Lewis influenced Harvard Professor, American Jewish scientist and his brother Nobel laureate [[Benjamin LewisGeorge Wald]] carried the first modern intactivist protest, on December 17th of 1970 in front of the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital in Florida. Van and Benjamin were arrested for "shouting and disturbing the peace". Charges were dismissed the following daysto question [[circumcision]].

Van Lewis influenced Harvard Professor, American Jewish scientist and Nobel laureate continued protesting [[George Waldcircumcision]], for most of his life. One of his achievements was to get Medicaid in Florida to stop covering routine infant circumcisions. Unfortunately an insurance overhaul in Florida open the path for private programs to question offer infant circumcisionas an extended service from 2013.

Van Lewis continued protesting circumcision for most of his life. One of his achievements was to get Medicaid in Florida to stop covering routine infant circumcisions. Unfortunately an insurance overhaul in Florida open the path for private programs to offer infant circumcision as an extended service from 2013. Van Lewis died on June 6th of 2011, at the age of 68, of pancreatic cancer.<ref>{{REFnews |title=Van Lewis 1943-2011 |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/tallahassee/name/van-lewis-obituary?id=20411211 |last= |first=<! |coauthors= |publisher=Tallahassee Democrat |website= |date=2011-06 |accessdate=2021-11- 19 |quote=}}<youtube/ref>L0JXH_33mbU<[https://youtube> www.saint--> john.org/ St. John's Episcopal Church] was packed full for his memorial service. [[J. Steven Svoboda]] spoke. [[Intact AmericaDoctors Opposing Circumcision (D.O.C.)]] recognized Van Lewis as was represented by [[George Hill]].{{PUB}}* {{REFweb |url=http://www.intactamericacirp.org/vanlewis Intactivist of the Month] in February of 2011.pages/cultural/lewis1/ |title=Circumcision and Christianity: A Call to Christian Action |last=Lewis |first=Van |author-link=Van Lewis |init= |publisher=Circumcision Reference Library |date=2000-07 |accessdate=2022-11-12}}== Video ==<br><youtube>L0JXH_33mbU</youtube>

==A mutilator's question==

“Many years ago, I witnessed an infant [[circumcision ]] in person at the invitation of a mutilator. He invited me to attend, to prove to me that there is nothing wrong with mutilating babies. He also decided and told me that he would not do a complete circumcision, just a little dorsal slit, to minimize [[trauma]], damage, [[injury]], and blood loss. “I will cut on the center line. There are no blood vessels there.” (Right.)

I decided to go. White mutilator, black baby, southern USA, 1972 or so. With the first probe under the [[Foreskin| foreskin ]] the baby screams a blood curdling scream and keeps screaming. With the crushing of the center line of the top of the [[foreskin ]] with the hemostat the baby’s screaming and thrashing ratchet WAY up (he was restrained by tie-downs, put in place in preparation for this human hurricane they already knew from long experience was coming) and when the clamp comes off and the dorsal cut is made the baby begins to vomit—projectile vomiting—the vomit — projectile vomiting — the most violent vomiting I have ever witnessed from any human being. Blood from the baby’s [[penis ]] spurts everywhere. The vomiting interrupts the screaming and the screaming interrupts the vomiting. The mutilator takes out his sewing kit and starts sewing. With every puncture of the needle a new blood-curdling scream comes rushing out, with every pulling of the thread through the foreskin the baby turns bluer and screams louder and harder and finally, when I think the police are going to arrive, or the baby is going to die, or God is going to strike us all dead on the spot—the spot — the [[Shock| baby goes totally silent and completely limp]]. He passes out, knocked cold by the [[trauma ]] of the mutilating. [Ed. Some babies dissociate and this may be what Mr. Lewis observed] The mutilator can now work in peace.

I have since learned from a reformed circumciser, who did scores of circumcisions, that he didn’t hear the babies he [[circumcised ]] screaming. He was so intent on doing his work “correctly” that he literally, as hard as it is to believe, did not hear the screaming. Then, one day—whyday why, he didn’t know—he know — he heard it. He heard the baby and knew what the screaming meant. He was injuring the baby, deeply. He’s never done another one.”

==WeblinksAward for intactivism ==Lewis was chosen "[[Intactivist of the Month]]" by [[Intact America]] in February 2011.{{SEEALSO}}* [[Intact]]* [[Intactivism]]* [[Pain]]* [[United States of America]]{{LINKS}}* {{REFweb |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20080521184624/www.genitalintegrity.net/blouch/2007/04/28/a-circumcisers-question/ |archived=yes |title=A mutilator’s question |website=blOUCH! |last=Lewis |first=Van |init=V |author-link=Van Lewis |date=2007-04-28 |accessdate=2021-10-14}}* {{REFweb |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/tallahassee/name/van-lewis-obituary?id=20411211 |title=Van Lewis 1943-2011 |publisher=Tallahassee Democrat |date=2011-06-12 |accessdate=2024-04-29}}* {{REFweb |url=https://www.arclaw.org/publications/van-lewis-eulogy-by-steven-svoboda |title=Van Lewis Eulogy |last=Svoboda |first=Steven |init= |publisher=Attorneys for the Rights of the Child |date=2011-06-20 |accessdate=2024-03-26}}{{REF}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Van}}

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