General Civility Reminder! A version of this note  runs periodically on
Lactnet.

Please take a minute to read and to consider your post for civility as
you send your notes to Lactnet, or to subscribers either off or on list.

Lactnet began in 1995, through the efforts of Kathleen Bruce and
Kathleen Auerbach, dedicated volunteers. Lactnet was created as a
vehicle for LCs and other interested parties  to help each other with
hard lactation cases and issues. To connect those without connection in
the bf world.  This is what we are here for now... and we need to think
of that with each post. It is important to  recognize and respect the
differences that we have. Sometimes, patience is thin, and that's when
it becomes even more important to garner our patience and to be mindful.
No one is perfect. Everytime we take each other down, our purpose and
work becomes weakened, our aim less sharp, our effect less measureable.

Here is a note from a long term subscriber that seems to say it all...

"The old adage, united we stand, divided we fall seems to sum up what is
so important about this work we do to help mothers and babies.  Let's
support each other, and not destroy the heart and soul of those around
us who believe in the same goals we do. It is probably true that we have
more similarities than differences, among us all.  Email is  hard,
because we can take people's tones and misconstrue intent or attitude.
When people leave the list, it is a great sadness, because we then lose
that energy, and that point of view.  Those who make money from women
not breastfeeding, those in big business such as pharmaceutical
companies, must laugh as they read some of the more difficult threads.
Laughing all the way to the bank... They win.


Please take time to be civil to your fellow subscribers,  and also to
try and be of genuine help to those who are requesting it..  keeping in
mind our own daily challenges and shortcomings.  Know that we, as list
volunteers, do our very best. Sometimes we may fall short. We may not
read as carefully as we could have, because of other life constraints.
However, we do act as fairly and evenly as we possibly can, as
volunteers. We are list volunteers. Not moderators. Here is the note
from a well respected list subscriber, one good at writing, and
expressing herself...


.... Lactnet went so long  without succumbing to the pitfalls of other
groups. I try to see what the "critics" are trying to do.  I usually
think that they lack self confidence, so they read the posts from others
with an eye to picking something to challenge so that they look
superior.  Maybe they aren't capable of discerning the spirit of a post,
but see only the minute details that they choose to pounce on. There is
a lot of "posturing."

Recently I read a few days of posts from 1997, and was amazed at the
genuine help that we gave to each other.  One could ask a question and
reveal what she did in a case, and no one attacked her as incompetent of
wrong headed.  There wasn't always agreement, but there was maturity.

A couple of our state legislators have begun a "Civility Campaign."
They are disturbed by the lack of civility and co-operation that they
see increasing in the legislative bodies.  They asked each member of the
House and Senate to sign a pledge to treat each other civilly and with
respect. I hope that it is effective.  Perhaps the harshness on Lactnet
is a reflection of a general growing incivility in the culture (s)."

Let us work to make Lactnet civil and respectful, and also to keep the
discussions intense and fruitful, with an eye to evidence-based
discussion.

Kind regards,

Lactnet-administrators.

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