Only?
I'm reading this NYT column by Jessica Grose: "Kennedy’s Comments on Circumcision Are Only Going to Confuse and Shame Parents."
The headline makes it sound as though human beings cannot be trusted with information. We'll only get confused or descend into shame.
What's the issue here?
On Thursday, Kennedy, the secretary of health and human services, said in a cabinet meeting, “There’s two studies that show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism. It’s highly likely because they’re given Tylenol.” Was he trying to persuade parents to avoid circumcision, Tylenol (the most popular brand of acetaminophen) or both?...
Why not read it for exactly what it is, an observation that you can take into account when deciding whether to have your child circumcised and, if you do, what form of pain relief do you want?
What's confusing or shameful about that?
Health info often comes in this form — studies find that a substance is associated with a health problem.
It might not be causal, but don't parents have the right to decide if they should take the risk?
https://althouse.blogspot.com/2025/10/only.html