It is difficult to understand how feeding a child the perfect substance for their development and health could be construed as offensive.
Wikipedia gives one example of offensive as "concepts which are unacceptable to some people". For some folks breast-feeding in unacceptable. Whatever led them to that belief is unfathomable, but they have that right to decide what is acceptable for them in their life.
A famous American once said he would fight to the death to ensure another's right to disagree with his beliefs. We are far removed from the rhetoric of the Founding Fathers and their staunch belief in defending everyone's rights least those rights are lost, and America becomes government controlled, stifling our very nature by laws creating a society where no one is offended by another's actions.
A young mother was thrown off an airplane because the flight attendant was offended by her nursing her child. On MSNBC there are over 700 people debating on the message board. The discussions range from making a point about the age of the child being nursed, on whether the mother was visible to other passengers, what is offensive and when that should be grounds for actions.
[url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15720339/]http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15720339/ [url=http://burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061114/NEWS/61114002]http://burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061114/NEWS/61114002
The right to breast-feed a child SHOULD not have to be legislated, should not need to be debated, should not be the cause of demonstrations. The details of the incident are not important. There are not stipulations about where a mother can breast-feed her child or how young her child should be. There are no grey areas as to whether it was appropriate air travel etiquette. There is nothing post 9/11 that comes into play about this. Liquids are now highly suspect and should this woman have chosen to pump and carry bottles she would have to PROVE they were indeed filled with breast milk.
Not only should this airlines provide this family with a free flight and compensation, they should honour her one request for a donation to a charity. Their employees need to be reminded of the law, perhaps given sensitivity training. Their policy needs to be crystal clear about the law and the rights of their passengers.
And since this issue obviously still needs defending, still needs media coverage to report the facts on breast-feeding correctly there should be a nurse in at the airport. Better yet, at all major airports serviced by these airlines in their terminals. I have never been sorrier that I weaned my 4th child last March after he turned 3.
