Rich Copley - pop culture bloggist for the Lexington Herald-Leader - made the following statement in a recent blog:" ...some people get on TV and sound off or write letters to the editor. These folks make art — and some pretty powerful statements."
Wow, what a way to look at life! I have always been a "letter to the editor" kinda gal! Have a complaint? Well, if you do, you need to do something about it before you start complaining. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, I don't want to hear you complaining unless you've taken the first step in doing something about the complaint. Don't leave it up to the other guy.
Case in point, the recent scandal at a Berea, Kentucky McDonalds. A young, nursing mother was kicked out of a Berea McDonalds for trying to breastfeed her 4-month-old son. Other customers and employees of the fast food restaurant, hasseled and discriminated against this young family.
According to Kentucky State Law, a mother has the right to breastfeed a child in any private or public place. Yet, this young mother was made to feel inferior and criminal because she was trying to feed her child.
Once in the parking lot, the mother called local police, who sent a car to investigate - at least I guess it was the car because, surely a REAL police officer would have defended the young mother from the law breaking restaurant? Wouldn't they?
Well the answer is, HELL NO! The police threatened to have this young mother arrested for trespassing. Trespassing for trying to feed a baby! Now I ask you, how stupid does Kentucky have to look to the rest of the nation before we wake up and smell the coffee - or to'bacca, since were the number one "smoking" state.
When I first heard about this incident - I took my complaints to the local and corporate McDonalds, Berea Police and city government, the governor of Kentucky, both our US and KY Senators and all the Representatives.What have I received back so far?
1.) A Letter from Governor Beshear - stating he has to remain neutral and is not responsible for law enforcement or local government - please send a letter to your congressmen or represenatives (see #2,3, and 4).
2.) A Letter from Rep. Ben Chandler - stating he is not responsible for private citizens compaints and I should report this to my local represenative, Milwood Dedman (see #1).
3.) A Letter from Rep. Geoff Davis - stating he was not MY representative, but he would pass my letter on to Rep. Ben Chandler (see #1, 2 and 4).
4.) A Letter from Sen. Mitchell McConnell (asshole) - stating he was not responsible for local or state issues, only national issues, but he would pass my letter on to Rep. Ben Chandler and Governor Beshear; also that the victim had a right to bring forth a lawsuit (see #1, 2 and 3).
Do we see a pattern forming here? Apparently no one representing the Commonwealth of Kentucky wants to take responsibility for our stupidity as a state. Local government blames the state government who, in turn, blames the national government; the national government then blames the local government who blames the state government - and the vicious circle continues and the entire state comes off looking like a bunch of red-neck hicks.
3 comments:
wow.. i have never actually written a letter of complaint,, and now i guess i know why... what a freaking fiasco!!!!
It's good that you write, that you participate in the process.
As to your government officials - clearly these guys were NOT breast-fed.
You certainly tried all the right avenues!
I am very curious how it will go for the nursing mother. This is totally wrong and apparently ILLEGAL in the state of Kentucky (which should have been the response of anyone to whom you wrote).
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