My first post...

Soooo... Twitter is a wonderful microcosm. Issues fly back and forth through the twittersphere at incredible rates. Through Twitter I have discovered an amazing network of women and men of incredible intelligence and varying opinions. A couple of those wonderfully intelligent twitterers brought this post to my attention. I felt compelled to respond, but as comments are moderated, I'm not sure mine will go through. So I'm posting it here, as well.

For the most part, I try to stay out of these debates... because they really, really upset me. But the comparison of witnessing breastfeeding in public to second-hand cigarette smoke (yes, you read that correctly) just irks me, because it is... absurd.

This is my response:

Wait. Breastfeeding in public equates to smoking? How? Is the mere presence of a breastfeeding mother polluting your air? Exposing you to toxins? Does she smell like an ashtray? Will nursing her baby leave residue of tar and noxious chemicals on every fabric and surface in the vicinity? Does her legally protected choice to breastfeed her baby when and where they are hungry somehow increase the chances of the people around her developing cancer? Lung disease? An allergic reaction even?

What a ridiculous argument.

Breastfeeding is NORMAL. Period.

A better analogy would be to compare your discomfort with seeing someone be ‘indiscreet’ when feeding their child with I don’t know… discomfort seeing interracial couples. I mean, they don’t have to FLAUNT that they are together, right? They could be DISCREET about their relationship so as not to disturb the people around them.

Wait. That’s bigotry. Bigotry is wrong.

Ooops… I guess you don’t have a leg to stand on after all.

**edited to add**

Ok, so the comment did go through. I won't be replying to her own response to me, because she chose not to address my point (beyond saying she wasn't a bigot, but then, I've never known a bigot that admitted being one) and because she resorted to personally insulting me. I don't want to get into a mud slinging fight. Also, I have long ago learned that when someone runs out of arguments, they start name-calling.

Here is her response to me:

You are just another idiot extremist and not worth too much of my time responding. The leg I stand on is my opinion, you silly fool, which I have just as much right to have as you! I am not a bigot, but you and your twitter twats have proved you all are bigots against anyone who doesn’t want to see you flashing us! I am more and more determined in my thought that is what is key here. You all ARE exhibitionists and want others to stare at your boobs. Oh well, I won’t look. Many others might not either. Bah, why do I even bother typing this much. It all falls on deaf ears anyway.

The cigarette analogy just came to mind as I was typing. No, of course it’s not the same, but I don’t expect you and your small intellect to understand that.