State Journal, Appling, BOTH of you Calm Down

The state of Wisconsin is working on a bill that would forbid the interference with breastfeeding in any public place. Of the things that can be discriminated against in a public place, breastfeeding isn’t even close to as important. Precedent has been set that this ought to be done.

(By the way, I think it’s absolutely hilarious that hippies who raised my generation on formula all had hippie kids who are now coming back to the crunchier breastfeeding that their predecessors abandoned.)

For whatever reason, in their reporting on the bill the Badger Herald decided to get a comment from Julaine Appling, the executive director of the Family Research Institute of Wisconsin. To make matters worse, Appling took them up on the offer…

"Breast-feeding is very natural. However, I don't think that we need to have legislation that gives special sanction to it…Just because something is normal and natural, it doesn't mean we have to condone (it)."

Appling is entitled to an opinion on the pending legislation. I happen to disagree with it, but that’s ok. The State Journal’s Susan Lampert Smith, though, doesn’t think it’s ok. She takes an entire op-ed to really dig in. You can read her piece here, but here are some juicy quotes…

“Now, it turns out Appling wants to save us from the horrors of public breast-feeding.”

“The Badger Herald quoted her as being opposed to a bill that outlaws discrimination against nursing mothers. She doesn't oppose breast-feeding itself, but believes it must be done with discretion.”

“But then again, we really shouldn't have people like Appling who purport to be pro- family coming out against those who truly are.”

Like I said, Appling probably should have kept her mouth shut. That being said, what her actual comments indicated doesn’t merit that kind of blasting. One could even argue that Smith is putting words in Appling’s foolishly-opened mouth.

I think they both need a time out.