In Remembrance of Our Dear Friend Van

It was our beloved Intactivist friend Van Lewis who convinced Florida Medicaid not to pay for cutting up baby boys’ genitals anymore. He actually slammed his fist onto their table to wake them all up. We are all blessed that we had him as one of the smart, fearless and outspoken leaders in this movement and I was lucky enough to meet this extraordinary gentle man and yet fierce fighter for children's human rights a few times in my life.  He was one of the first people I met through the Internet after I woke up and thought I was all alone with my disgust against those that strap or hold children down with force to attack them in the genitals.  He always gave me compliments for the strong words I chose to defend the children and he always encouraged me to express myself the way I do; to show my anger and my sadness and to speak exactly the language that I am speaking.  He was my mentor. He once replied to something I sarcastically wrote about circumcisers.  “If laughing is healthy then I will get a hundred years old.” He made me laugh too and he made my day.

As much as I know Van, instead of resting in peace he is now up there waking up God from a long afternoon nap to tell him what’s happening to his children here on earth and to his creation;  he will ask him if he could use his power to send lightning bolts (of enlightenment) to hit those blatant liars and evil demons that stick knives into children’s genitals or Centers of Love; to bring to justice those that have no compassion and no respect for the other; those that have the nerve to mess with Mother Nature and to change his perfect Creation. (If it was me I would just ask for lightning bolts to evaporate them.)

He came to visit me in California and we made up signs and slogans for a demo at the SF Pride Parade.  He marched with us in crotches even though he still had a hurting and unhealed wound from the tail of a dead Stingray that penetrated all the way through his boot and food some weeks before he travelled.

We all miss you Van.  You are a hero. 

You will now have wings to see this barbaric atrocity of child genital torture and mutilation coming to an end.  Something you always hoped to see in your life time.  I think we are very close to that goal. You are now our ally from heavenly realms and you may still want to telepathically inspire us with your wisdom, love and knowledge. 

You will live in our hearts forever. 

All the baby boys and children in this world and the adults they are becoming will thank you once all people realize what they have done to children and this dark part of human history is history forever; when the world will be filled with the light that once sparked in your heart and that you carefully nourished with your love for children and all people.

Thank you for the actions you took when you realized what had been done to you as a small defenseless child that grew into a strong man that announced the resistance against those that do this most despicable sex crime on helpless children. You almost killed your circumciser but you decided to carry a sign instead. It was a sign so clear and full of truth that the penis butchers inside this hospital called their mutilated slaves and still blinded victims to get you arrested.  The movement would not be where it is today if you would not have been among us to wake up the blinded and to say NO to the oppressed oppressors. 

Thanks for all you have done. You will never be forgotten.  Once you told God what some misguided souls do to his children – rest in peace in the Kingdom of no more pain. I am sure God reserved a very special place for you.

We all love you.

Your friend Michael Steffe