Hi..

A few more thoughts I guess.

Diane "  suggest[s]  that firstly , we stop victimizing ourselves then
others will also.
Your situation was awful.  I too, had my share of 'problems" with a divorce
and three children to support, alone.  Somehow, well, actually,through hard
work, I have brought myself to the place where I am today, as you have."

I agree with you Diane. I think that when we act like victims, we give our
own energy away.  What I was saying is that I think that women who must go
back to work after 6 weeks of leave are being treated unfairly.  I
congratulate you on succeeding in a terribly difficult situation.

  Are you aware of the number of taxes you pay monthy?? Sales tax, gas,
utilities, Social Security, FICA, and on and on...you pay approximatly 45-55%
of you income in taxes. That is the reason women can't stay home and must
work ....If you feel so strongly about helping those in need, i suggest you
pay out of your own pocket, or start a foundation , but please, dont force me
to support your cause. I have my own to support. "


And this is just my point, I guess. We are **al**l paying, in the US, right
now,  for the lack of choice that women have. Wecan choose to either pay it
to the prisons, the welfare systems,, and the drug rehab clinics, and SRS,
or we  *could* pay it to families who themselves regularly contribute to
such a fund, and who use it for purposes of nurturing .  I guess what I have
a problem with is trying to put out fires AFTER wards, spending lots of
money in the process, when we could be preventing them beforehand by making
it possible for women to have time with young children. The "firefighting"
is what gets me down.

I do not believe that anyone (myself incluced)  would try to force any other
person to support their ideas. However, we are all being forced, now, to pay
for the poor choices of others.

Respectfully,

Kathleen



------------------------------

Kathleen B. Bruce, BSN, IBCLC, LLLeader, co-owner Lactnet, LLLOL, Corgi-L
LACTNET WWW site: http://www.mcs.com/~auerbach/lactation.html
"Guilt: the gift that keeps on giving." Erma Bombeck