TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

There seems to be an insurmountable number of things to fight over these days. Never before has the phrase "choose your battles" been as utterly necessary as in a time such as ours when not only does everyone have an opinion, but also a sense of entitlement to see their opinion enforced.

I understand that we all have our opinions, but what I don't get is the enforcement part. Take this column for example. Sure, I like to spout off about what bothers me, but I don't actually believe I can force people into bending toward my will. Let's say I attempt to gripe about how I don't like people blowing their cigarette smoke in my direction, but am I actually going to rip the cigarette out of their mouth and snuff it? Well, I've thought about it, ad nauseum at times, but no, I won't. At least not until I'm old enough to be classified as bona fide crotchety -- a date I've reserved for not only pulling out cigarettes from strangers' mouths, but also pulling up the jeans of teenage boys whose underwear I don't want to see.

I don't think many people differentiate between being perturbed by something they personally wouldn't do, and their foggy sense of entitlement that makes them attempt to supersede the will of others. A recent complication at a local elementary school exemplifies this notion.

Brandy Gann, mother of four, was on school grounds waiting for one of her children to finish up with a class when her 9-month-old son got hungry. So, she breastfed him. This prompted the school's principal to talk with Gann about not breastfeeding on campus.

Gann's response was, "I told him I'm sorry there's concern that I nurse my baby, but I have to be at the school and he has to eat. This was the second time I was addressed about breastfeeding. The first time, I was in the teacher's lounge and a teacher told me I was not allowed to nurse in there."

The principal of Highland Elementary, Stuart Packard, said, "I was approached by a teacher and parents who have expressed concerns about (Gann) breastfeeding. I went to (Gann) and asked if there was something we can do to work out the situation. I wasn't sure of all the laws that deal with that, so I went home that night and checked the laws, as well as check(ed) with my district. I found out that women can breastfeed in public. The next day, I told (Gann) that we had a designated spot for her to nurse."

Principal Packard told me that he had never seen Gann nursing, but the staff member and parents said Gann nursing her son was a sight they considered inappropriate for children.

I asked Gann if she was using a nursing cover and she said, "Yes, I had my cover, and I had a car seat on top of the table that blocked the views from inside the classroom."

My problem with this event is the attitude of those who complained to Packard, arguing that Gann had exposed elementary-age children to indecency.

If Gann wasn't covered up, it'd be a different concern. But since she was, it's safe to assume that any concern of indecency was directed at the act of nursing, in and of itself, and not that too much skin was shown. If it were the latter, I'd hope these individuals would complain about the Déjà Vu billboards on highways 204 and 99 before they get all hot and bothered about a baby and his morning num-nums.

It's an attenuated reaction, but I'm feeling as if the pile of new liberties stuffed down our throats in the name of tolerance seems to be at the cost of refusing to tolerate other liberties -- such as nursing -- that have been with us since the dawn of creation. Besides, I've got a bit of sunshine for individuals who get upset when a mother is nursing her child: be thankful she isn't using your tax dollars for state sponsored Similac. As long as it's covered up, you can't complain when the udder is free.

So back to choosing your battles wisely: If breastfeeding seems indecent to you, put a lid on it for now and go pick a fight with some of the billboard owners around town. I'd rather my sons see two little feet kicking from beneath a blanket draped across his mother's chest, than some busty blonde urging drivers to turn around and enter the world of smudged metal poles and scuffed catwalks.

But that's just me. And only my opinion.

-- Heather Ijames is one of three community columnists whose work appears here every Saturday. These are the opinions of Ijames, not necessarily The Californian's. You can send e-mail to her at hijames@bakersfield.com. Next week: Inga Barks.