All I can say is, South Africa is a very different place, indeed. (I can't imagine any 18-year-old in this country putting himself through that, but then, we don't seem to have manhood initiation rituals. Not that type, anyway. For which I'm sure a nation is grateful.)
We prefer to get 'em while they're young, and hope they don't remember it later. (You know, I can understand why it would make a difference in a sort of cultural identity ... but for salvation? There are religions that think if you have that little bit of skin, you won't be saved? How very ... peculiar.)
Copyright © 2001, Iain Jackson, after-words.org
[Archives: 2001 and after]
Archives before February 5, 2001
Search entries:
12/19/2001: vive la france
12/19/2001: princess, redux
12/19/2001: yemen and rumsfeld
12/18/2001: you're NOT in the army now
12/18/2001: interesting donation
12/18/2001: shame on winn dixie, indeed
12/18/2001: saudi princess
12/17/2001: new resolve
12/17/2001: a victim of the attack ... yeah, right
12/17/2001: polluters ho!