I heard a news story on NPR (National Public Radio---independent U.S. network
that is funded largely by listeners) this morning that I think is important to
breastfeeding advocates.  It told about a new phenomenon in advocacy that is
showing up in America---maybe elsewhere too.  Critics call it "Astroturf,"
after the synthetic grass that was developed for the Huston AstroDome indoor
football stadium.  (Looks like grass, but it's made of plastic and fastened
onto a padded concrete surface---not very nice for running and falling down
on.)

This new "Astroturf" is a fake grassroots movement. Here's how it works.
Industry thinks up a self-serving cause, sets up a fake advocacy group, and
starts lobbying and soliciting publicity for its position.  The example given
was a group called something like "Consumers for Vehicle Choice," which took
the position that because big automobiles are safer in a collision and easier
for disabled people to use, manufacturers should go on making huge American
cars and not fuel-saving small cars.  It sounds legitimate, right?  But the
money to promulgate this opinion came from the industry, which didn't want to
change and have to make small cars (I assume there's less profit in small
cars.  Certainly there's more competition from Japanese and European
companies.)  The advocacy "group" itself could just have been a person with a
desk, a copier, a computer, and a telephone.

So let's remember to watch out for groups that sound plausibly grass-rootsy
but spout industry-serving opinions.  They may actually BE industry in
disguise!

Chris