Legislating Comfort? The Nanny State run amok!

@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
March 24, 2007 12:21am CST
It all started way back when, when city officials decided to ban smoking in public places. Now, I think smoking is about as stupid as munching on Paint Chips and Salsa, but I'm not one to whine for a ban on something simply because I think it's stupid. The city officials decided that no owner of a privatly owned business should have the right to decide what legal products and services they want to allow on their private property. In short, they stripped the owners of their legal rights. There is a bill in the Wisconsin legislature that would impose a $200 fine on anyone who made woman feel uncomfortable while nursing her baby in public. Now, I am all for nursing, I agree that it is the most healthy way to feed a baby. I don't think a mother should have to sit on a public toilet to feed her baby, nor do I think that she should have to stay home for the duration of the time she feels it important to nurse her baby. On the other hand, it is the job of the owners and managers of businesses to decide the comfort standards of their establishment, not the government. If the owner/manager feels it is in the best interests of the business to allow nursing then by all means, they should allow it. On the other hand, if they feel that a nursing mother would detract from the esthetics and atmosphere of their business, then they should have every right to ask mothers to do that somewhere else. In turn the mother and those with her have every right to choose not to frequent that business anymore. They even have the right to tell all their friends and family about how horrible a place is. Since when is comfort the role of any level of government? How are nursing mothers any more entitled to comfort as those around her? This bill would impose a fine for making her uncomfortable, yet she doesn't seem to care about the comfort of those around her.
2 people like this
1 response
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
8 May 08
Whatever happen to privite property being privite. The problem is big statist do not believe that there is anything privite. Everything should either owned by the government or controled by th government. Lets say I went to Wisconsin one day(Which how you talk about Wisconsin I have no plains on doing so)how would I know if I made the woman uncomfortable? Is there a list of thing you can and cannot, or is it completly a judgment call?
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
9 May 08
Believe it or not, I really do like it here in Wisconsin and would recommend it as a vacation spot to anyone. I guess I do vent my frustrations with the state a lot here though. As for your comment.. That's the problem here. Who decides what is "making a nursing mother uncomfortable". I mean, there is the obvious, like throwing things at her, pointing and laughing or taking pictures. But what about little kids snickering, people overting their eyes..etc. And what about all the other people. What if SHE is making someone else uncomfortable. What this "law" would do is create a hierachy of comfort. It literally makes some people's comfort more important than others.
1 person likes this