Protest smaller than planned

Protest smaller than planned

A breast-feeding demonstration planned for Johnny’s Barbecue on Thursday drew more supporters of the restaurant owners to the establishment than advocates of public breast-feeding, spectators said.

The woman who organized the event said Wednesday 20 to 30 women would breast-feed their children at 11 a.m. outside Johnny’s Barbecue, but three women with babies were visible at the restaurant parking lot by 12:30 p.m.

The demonstration was organized after Elizabeth McDowell, of Cullman, said an employee of the restaurant placed dirty dish towels on her six-month-old son’s head while she was breast-feeding the child inside the restaurant. Johnny’s Barbecue owner Gary Wiggins said an employee offered the woman two clean towels from the kitchen and asked her to cover herself after several complaints from other patrons.

At midday, only a few parking spaces at the restaurant were available, while the protesters gathered around a van with two signs inside, one encouraging drivers who supported breast-feeding to honk, and another that read “breasts are food.�?A Cullman Police sports utility vehicle with two officers inside was parked across the street.

The restaurant, at 1401 4th St. SW, is co-owned by Wiggins and Ronald Dunn. Wiggins said the demonstration seemed to draw more patrons to the restaurant.

“We had a really good lunch today,�?he said. “I’ve been humbled by all the support from the community. I’ve been called by some people I know, and called by some people I don’t know in support of us. I’m praying for this lady, and hope she finds the truth. We’ll move on from here.�?BR>
Cullman nurses, Deb Singleton and Lisa Pugh ate lunch at Johnny’s Barbecue Thursday, and said they support the restaurant managers�?decision to ask McDowell to cover herself as she breast fed her child.

“The Wiggins family and the Dunn family are fine people,�?Singleton said. “This establishment has been in business for 40 to 50 years, and a lot of elderly people eat here. This is disrespectful to them. This lady proved her point by the headlines today. She doesn’t need to have her baby out here on a busy highway on a rainy day, exposing the child to the elements with little clothes and no umbrella.�?BR>
Becky Smalley, a Johnny’s Barbecue Employee, said she was at work when McDowell was feeding her child. She said the woman exposed most of her breast. Smalley and her daughter-in-law, Katrina James, argued with McDowell outside the restaurant.

“Why would you do it?�?Smalley asked.

McDowell replied “you can’t breast feed yourself.�?BR>
McDowell said she wants to encourage people who are offended by public breast-feeding to first approach mothers verbally, and to never act aggressively toward the mother or child.

“It is a mother’s protected right to breast-feed her child in any public or private place where she is allowed to be,�?she said in a prepared statement. “For the upset person to take matters into their own hands is frightening and unacceptable.�?BR>
James said she is the mother of an infant, and that she doesn’t have a problem with public breast-feeding as long as women are discrete.

“I just don’t think you should do it in the middle of a restaurant where people are eating,�?she said.