[Linda]

My dad wondered this same thing about team mascots. He says he doesn't mind when people use the Vikings even though he is Norwegian, so why should Native Americans mind having the Braves or Redskins as mascots? It is a matter of power and history. He has never been treated badly because he is a 'Viking.' He has never been denied a job or been thought less of in any real way because of the category he is in. In many ways I think people are kinder or more likely to hire a 'viking.' Northern Europeans, including vikings, enjoy some very real privleges in the United States. On the other hand, Native Americans have been massacred and ridiculed and had their children taken away because of their race. And people make fun of this race in a serious way. Think of the term 'Indian giver.' If you or your ancestors have been injured by a category, an extra joke at your expense can bring up layers of pain and reminders of being the despised outsider. The same is true of fat and thin people. Some people have a strong hatred for fat people, and people are denied promotions because of their weight (even when the job requirements do not require a thin or fit person). Jokes about fat people 'sting' in a way that jokes about skinny people do not. Jokes about fat people reinforce that little bit of truth some people may believe about overweight people. So a joke about Indians has a very different meaning than a joke about Vikings. And a joke about fat people has a very different meaning and consequence than a joke about thin people. Even when jokes about race, size, disability or gender are very funny, I work hard at stopping them, as they reinforce some painful and damaging stereotypes that we would all be better without.

User Detail :  

Name : Linda, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Lutheran, Age : 44, City : Portland, State : OR Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Linda]

A new study showed that women who breastfeed for two or more consecutive years have half the rate of cancer as women who do not. Children receive important health benefits from breastfeeding for at least two years. We as a society clearly need to do more to encourage more and longer breastfeeding to improve health and save medical costs My two children were born when I was teaching in Asia. I breastfed them for a period of time, and each nursed for around three years. One of my university students told me that as the last of 7 children he breastfed until he was 7, coming home from grade school to nurse. He laughed about this, and all his friends seemed to know. He seemed like a healthy and happy young adult. I think the only problem with U.S. kids nursing for long years is believing it is bad for them. It is one of the most natural things in life (in some cultures, men do not find breasts sexually attractive so that may not be as 'natural' as we think). Breasts primarily exist to feed our young. Most kids stop at 2 or 3, but some may want to stop at 6 months and others may want to go for 7 years. Should kids/mothers on those extremes be charged with child abuse? I don't think so.

User Detail :  

Name : Linda, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Lutheran, Age : 44, City : Portland, State : OR Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

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