"First they ignore you.  Then they laugh at you.  Then they fight you.  
Then you win."

Soapbox alert.

Alice thinks breastfeeding advocates should avoid making "extreme" 
statements. 
 
Let's talk about Valerie.  She has some extremely serious and urgent and 
disturbing things to tell us.  Some of us are uncomfortable with this 
information, with Valerie's tone, with the whole negative aspect of the 
discussion.   Some of us really dislike conflict. We want to kill the 
messenger!  Valerie is giving us facts, and we don't like what we are 
hearing.

I have read so many posts which imply that Valerie is too extreme.  Some 
say she should choose her words more carefully- she might upset people.  
Then they will - I don't know- stay in their safe cocoon of denial, I 
guess.  It's the ostrich effect- like a first time mother can't stand to 
hear that her doctor isn't going to be there to hold her hand throughout 
her entire labor!

And then there's that Michael Moore.  He is too extreme too.  He tells 
it like it is, and that's just too - well, uncomfortable to hear.  After 
all, he says the American public has been lied to by it's president 
(Alice calls this an attack.) Of course there has been an outstanding 
reward of $10.000.00 on offer for anyone who can find an incorrect fact 
in his movie..... but nevertheless- he is perceived as nasty (by some- 
not me.).  Why?  Because some of us don't like the facts he is telling 
us.   It makes us uncomfortable.

Here's what I think.  Those who would do us harm- (formula industry 
executives are doing harm, I believe (don't you?) and those who would 
lie to us, do not play by the same rules as the rest of us!  They think 
the ends justify the means.  So as long as we, who KNOW what is true, 
are willing to continue to go along, trying to play nice, hoping to 
sound moderate and reasonable and oh so nice- we will get more of the 
same results we have been getting to date, like a multinational 
conglomerate moving in to directly compete with the milk of mothers. 

The strides we have made so far?  They have been made for ONE reason- 
because someone stepped up and spoke some truth to power- they told the 
doctor they would NOT use formula, thank you very much.  They told the 
hospital they would NOT leave dad out in the hall during the birth, 
thank you very much. They told the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services they would NOT stand by and see the Ad Campaign gutted, thank 
you very much.  They told the store clerk they would NOT feed their baby 
in the bathroom, thank you very much.

And I have noticed that Valerie, like all true warriors, does not give 
up her fight- she continues faithfully to speak up, and to invite the 
rest of us to join her battle.  Rather than viewing Valerie, or Michael, 
as "extreme" I view them as heros.  They are willing to take their 
stand, no matter how unpopular this makes them to some.  I have said 
many times that Michael Moore is working for me.  Tonight I declare that 
Valerie is, as well, and I thank both of them from the bottom of my 
heart.  I also declare that I will double my efforts to speak my own 
truth, even if it makes someone uncomfortable. 

No flames please.  And, I honor and respect Alice's right to her 
viewpoint. 
Sue Jacoby, IBCLC
Clovis, CA











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