At Katherine's invitation, I am posting her response to my private e-mail
sharing my postings on parent-l regarding LLL's lack of political
activism.

Rachael Hamlet

------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date:          Tue, 10 Oct 1995 11:04:18 -0500
To:            "J. Rachael Hamlet & Duncan L. Cooper" <[log in to unmask]>
From:          [log in to unmask] (katherine a. dettwyler)
Subject:       Re: Me and my big mouth<keyboard>

Dear Rachel,
        You are welcome to post this to parent-l.  I think your original
message, and your second one, are both clear and well-put.  I too share
your frustration with La Leche League's desire to be inoffensive, although
I understand it.  They see themselves as a one-issue group, and prefer to
support women one-by-one, rather than work to change the social and
political climate on a grander scale.  They have taken great pains over the
years to steer clear of anything controversial, such as abortion, religion,
ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) IN ORDER TO keep focused clearly on their one
mission in life.  I admire them for their steadfast devotion to
mother-to-mother support, and their dedication to the "catching flies with
honey" approach, even though it may not be the approach I would use in all
circumstances.  They expend an enormous amount of energy combatting
negative views of their organization as being radical, left-wing,
right-wing, commie, fascist, etc.  I'm exaggerating here, but I do know
that LLL has been accused of being many things that it is not, and is
constantly fighting the battle of misperceptions about what they are and
what they do.  That doesn't mean there isn't room for other groups to be
more politically active, and I think your work is a giant step towards
accomplishing some of the wider goals we all hope for, making the U.S. a
parent-and-children friendly society.  So many of the women they help still
think they are the only ones facing a particular problem, and don't see the
wider picture.  But LLL's goal is to help women breastfeed successfully,
one mother at a time, not to change the world.
        Final comment to the parent-l list members -- everyone's views
should be welcome on parent-l.  It is all too easy to flame someone from
the relative anonymity of e-mail.  Expressing a desire that LLL be more
politically active is a valid thing to do.  I fail to see how it can be
construed as "airing dirty linen" -- as I don't think LLL needs to
apologize or be defensive about its choice not to be politically active.
Remember that reasoned, rational discussion will help all of us!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
email: [log in to unmask]
Anthropology Department
Texas A&M University                  phone: (409) 845-5256
College Station, TX  77843-4352    fax: (409) 845-4070