It's always been a conventional understanding in Britain that you're allowed to do anything that you haven't been told you can't. That is to say, unless something is explicitly against the law then you have the freedom to do it. As a result, the Government doesn't give us rights, instead it takes away aspects of our freedom, most often this is framed within our understanding of what is right and what is wrong.However this isn't the way the Labour Party seems to see the world. They seem obsessed with the notion that the Government gives out rights, and therefore they have to legislate rights into being. This has resulted in masses of legislative idiocy over the years, and, if the Sunday Times is correct, it's about to create some more.
Apparently, ministers are considering introducing a right for woman to breastfeed in public. The thing is, it isn't illegal to do it at the moment anyway. So women already have the freedom to do it, and they also have the freedom to tell anyone who complains to sod off because they're not breaking the law.
There is absolutely no need to legislate the right to breastfeed in public. Perhaps, instead of introducing yet more laws, we should concentrate on educating people that their freedom is not contingent on the Government giving it to them in the form of rights?
23 comments:
Amen
I'm pretty sure John Prescott came up with this idea to make sure he had the chance of a bit of a nipple action in Starbucks.
As a rough guess, how much pointless legislation comes from the EUssr?
I'm against breast feeding in public, the baby's head spoils the view.
but lord tony and emporer bruun see the world a third way.unless they give you permision in writing with a risk assessment atached then you cant do it.
Hear, hear.
You have just highlighted the difference between Conservative and Labour ideology. We know we already have freedom. I think this wil be a main issue at the next general election, as I can't see Brown trying to control out lives less than Blair already has done.
Excellent post.
But surely the difference will be that it will be illegal to stop women breastfeeding, e.g. by throwing them out of a restaurant (or just asking them to stop)?
A restaurant is not a public place. Private property can have whatever rules it wishes.
I imagine the point here Dizzy is to reinforce the right to prevent "confusion" that breast feeding might fall into an offence category. If public nudity is "intended to cause" "harassment", "alarm" or "distress", to "insult", an offence may be being committed. What's the problem with making it very clear that breast feeding is always OK whether or not the sensitive are "alarmed" or "distressed" ?
I already explained what is wrong with it.
Yes, Dizzy - unless the Government gives someone the right to override their rules and wishes. Your analysis of rights vs freedoms is absolutely accurate, and now about as widely understood as the General Theory of Relativity.
This is not about the Government giving nursing mothers rights. It is about the Government taking away rights from the owners of private property.
I understand your point Dizzy, but the proposed legislation would make it an offence for anyone to stop someone breastfeeding in public (as in Scotland.) Women feel awkward breastfeeding - this would help.
In short, to be given this "right" is actually to have our freedom reduced, as with so much that the EU and New Labour does.
"Women feel awkward breastfeeding - this would help. "
How..? If you aren't confident of your existing right to breastfeed in public, you'll somehow be confident enough to insist on your new 'right' once it's enshrined in law? I suspect the only people to really benefit from this will be lawyers!
And as has already been pointed out, this doesn't cover private property, such as restaurants, clubs, shops etc.
Tom Paine
Fuck private property. If a baby wants feeding, it wants feeding. You were probably the same y'self when you were a baby. Dizzy's appears upset because the Government is legislating over something. But for mum's who breastfeed, frankly it's a pain in the arse to have to argue with every jumped-up little Hitler who says "you can't do that here".
I should know, I get it in the ear every time my partner comes home with "some pratt gave me dirty looks in such a such a place even though I was being discreet and I felt bullied into going into some shitty little toilet to feed."
Like I said - fuck private property - breast is best and considering it's national breastfeeding week we should support our partners and mothers rather than whine about the poor employer/nanny-state Government. If you can't legislate against the breast-bullies, then at least legislate in favour of breast-feeding mothers.
So to fight Hitler we must act like Hitler? Interesting. Plus I like the way your muddying the water of what are "public places" and what are "private places".
Thanks for the mindless rant though.
"Thanks for the mindless rant though. "
Bless. I think that every time I read you too.
So, how does supporting the protection of mums who breastfeed acting like Hitler?
Perhaps I missed that episode on the History Channel...
"First, ve invade Poland. Zen we take on ze dumpling-zucking bliztenkoppen Frauleins, zen ze Vorld!"
*Nuremburg erupts with cries of:
"Seig Heil ze TittybasherFuhrer - ze Third Reich will reign for a zousand teats... sorry, years"...
Anyways, private, public or open space, if a baby wants a feed, a baby wants a feed. The muddying has already been done Dizzy. Ordering a woman to button up is nothing to do with property, it's to do with intolerance and ignorance.
OK, it seems you;re missing the point here. Woman already have the freedom to breast feed. There is n need to legislate it, it already exists on the basis that there is no law banning it.
However, it does have to do with private property in terms of say a shop. A shop is not a public place, entry to it is at the proprietors discretion. If a shop owener doesn't want women breast feeding in it then that's their prerogative, just as it is for say banning irritating trainers with wheels on the heels.
And it's probably unwise to start talking about "intolerance" when coupled with your ranting because what you've just outlined is a classic case of intolerance towards intolerance. It's intellectually feeble and inherently contradictory bollocks.
Oh yes, if you find this blog a mindless rant you're welcome to sod off somehwere else that you consider less mindless.
Ah, your blog isn't private property is it? In that case, I'll a) stay
b) flop my man breasts out
c) breastfeed with abandon.
Anyways, I don't think I can find anywhere else I "consider less mindless" for the moment. Must try harder.
It's not that I don't sympathise with the wee shopkeeper, Dizzy. But I sympathise with the breastfeeding mum more. That's not "intolerance", that's a sense of fair play.
It's okay to be intolerant of intolerance. That's not inherently contradictory bollocks - that's life.
Otherwise you'd have had history's liberals go "no, no, you go ahead whipping that slave, don't mind me, can't stand the sight of it meself, I'll just sit over here with my knitting. Sorry if I wince too loud."
Actualyl my blog is private property, hence I login into and can refuse to allow comments. My blog, my rules. You;re welcome to stay though. Ah yes, typo re: midnless on my part, such is life on teh Interweb, type, hit submit, don't proof read, there ya go. Happens.
Actually, intolerance of intolerance is contradictory. Trying to redirect the argument to "that's life" is rather weak though. This is about you coming in here screaming and shouting about "fuck private property" and throwing invective at people with the charge of intolerance and ignorance. It's total contraditory bollocks.
As for fair play, as I already said, there is no law which outlaws breast feeding in public. As such creating a right to do it is a total unecessary waste of taxpayer money because the net effect will be no different.
Actually, when I say "fuck private property" I'm not shouting or screaming. That's me talking. Shouting I use them big capital letters.
So, as for the intolerence gig - are you using the reference point that anyone who's upset/angry at someone's intolerant behaviour as in itself intolerant. Which, as I suggested, means even the most wet, liberal, hand-wringing "ooh, dearie, dearie me, something must be done about them poor murderers in prison" are actually incredibly intolerant people.
What a thought, eh?
Does that means pacifists are also intolerant in your private property?
No, seriously, I'm interested.
Post a Comment