Rachel et al,
Ken's remarks about the NY nurse-in and equating breastfeeding in public
with urinating in public were terrible, disrespectful and embarrassing. My
contacts at KOMO TV 4 tell me they have been flooded with email and
letters. This is exactly what the station hopes will happen in response to
every commentary from Ken Schram. He is expected to incite the public. And
honestly more often than not, he has excellent points. Although now, I have
lost all respect for him. Because of the overwhelming response, last night
Ken and Kathi, the anchor who called him an idiot, actually talked more
about his commentary. I have never seen this happen! Unfortunately, Kathi
didn't hold her ground and crumbled under Ken's words. He stated he was not
against breastfeeding but women should cover up in public....he still
sounded like an idiot. KOMO loves Ken, he isn't going anywhere and
certainly will not be reprimanded for his comments. Therefore it is even
more important that the station hear from lactivists.
I have told Ken and KOMO that I would have liked Ken's commentary to
address why Barbara Walter’s was uncomfortable sitting next to a woman
nursing her baby. Wouldn’t it have been great for Ken to say, “Now come on
Barbara, the baby has to eat and you should have thanked that woman; by
breastfeeding her baby she was helping to relieve the pressure in the
baby’s ears. It probably made for a much more peaceful flight.” It would
have been very satisfying to hear Ken think through why there is an
uncomfortableness with breastfeeding in public. Why can't the US separate
breastfeeding from sex as they can in other countries? Why isn't
breastfeeding considered the norm? Why aren't we concerned with the high
rates of formula use and the high infant mortality rate in the US? These
are the questions I wish he had addressed in his commentary.
We have had our share of breastfeeding discrimination but for the most
part, Seattle and many other parts of WA are open, accepting, family-
friendly and pro-breastfeeding. This is in large part to the dedicated work
of LLL and the 22 member local breastfeeding coalitions and over 1500
individual members of the Breastfeeding Coalition of WA. It is an honor and
a privilege to work with so many committed people who make a difference.
Kimberly Radtke, Coordinator
Breastfeeding Coalition of WA
Date: Thu, 9 Jun 2005 12:41:10 +0200
From: Rachel Myr <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: KOMO News' Ken Schram on NIP
Thanks, Joylyn, for posting the link to KOMO-TV commentator Ken Schram's
remarks about the nurse-in at ABC. KOMO is the Seattle affiliate of ABC.
Thank goodness for the journalist who tells it like it is after Ken is
finished!
Can't think what has happened in my old home town; backwards 'progress'? No
public figure would have dared making such inane, thoughtless comments 24
years ago. BF in public was a total non-issue when I had my first child
there, and I well remember doing it at the mall, in restaurants both indoor
and outdoor, in parks, at festivals, and just any-old-wherever we happened
to be, even when my daughter was well past infancy and into verbal
toddlerhood. If you could breathe there, you could breastfeed. I've
already written to Ken Schram directly too.
Rachel Myr
Who has probably always been the 'in your face' type, and rubs her hands
together in glee over nurse-ins and the like, in childish pleasure at
thumbing my nose at authorities - maybe I am just stuck in the terrible
twos?
Kristiansand, Norway
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