McGrath is not saying he's in favour of it, people, he's simply stating that in that culture it is thought to be "a good thing" to do by a lot of people. And that IS what they think, otherwise they wouldn't DO it! Therefore, they have what they imagine to be "good intentions"...as is always the case, for heaven's sake. (Even that maniac Pol Pot thought he was doing a good thing for Cambodia by killing 1/3 of the population.)

To say that is not to excuse a practice or to condone it in any way as one speaking from the perspective of another culture.

So what I am saying is that your righteous anger at McGrath is misplaced. He's simply stating the truth about another culture and its beliefs, he is not supporting or sympathizing with the practice of female circumcision in any way whatsoever.

So why would you be mad at him? If you want to get mad, get mad at the people who are supporting and sympathizing with mutilating those women in those other cultures.