Today's paper (Pioneer Press; 4-6-2010) published a story by John Brewer that described the saga of a woman, her husband and two sons who were kicked out of Old Country Buffet because she was indecently breastfeeding her child. While the company denies that breastfeeding was the reason they asked the woman and her family to leave, it seems obvious that any other issues were actually secondary.
Things escalated quickly and the restaurant called the police to the scene. They claimed that the husband became beligerant and hostile and therefore they had to call the police. All because someone was "upset" about breastfeeding in public.
My book - the Art of Breastfeeding - talks about the breastfeeding buttinksis that oppose breastfeeding (especially in public) for more reasons than one! We can now add Old Country Buffet to the list. They may have been caught off guard by this woman however, as she seems to be a lactivist. Lactivists are those women who are so convinced about the benefits of breastfeeding that they will arrange for breastfeeding sit-ins at or boycotts of airports, restaurants, malls, and other places. Maybe she read my book? She certainly knows her rights! And she is right about her rights!
Boycotts can be a very effective means by which we express our disappointment, concerns, and justified anger at nitwits who dare to take away our legal civil rights. They are very effective means by which we partake in peaceful demonstrations and freedom of expressions. Maybe a boycott of this restaurant will show them that they shouldn't mess with lactating mama bears or human mamas either!
I have never been asked to leave any place except for one - because of breastfeeding. That was the steps of the Supreme Court building in Washington, DC. Although, I was shocked and tempted to assert my rights as this mama, I was reigned in by the fact that DC police were the ones who asked me to "stand up" claiming that there is no "squattering" on the steps of the US Supreme Court. They were simply daring me to breastfeed standing up and so I did. As you can tell, I sort of identify with this mama. I like her spunk!
While I always advocate for modest breastfeeding, I am certain that many more women and girls who have been significantly more scantily clad than mama bear have paraded the aisles of Old Country Buffet without consequence but equal attention!
So, just where in the world is objectiveness and real justice?
Certainly not in Old Country Buffet or the steps of the Supreme Court!
