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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2018
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
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OUR VIEW
Russia forces Trump retreat on breastfeeding
B
reastfeeding has been the
acknowledged best practice for
infant nutrition for five decades.
In an apparent rebuke to that standard,
the Trump administration in the World
Health Organization rebuked breastfeed-
ing in favor of infant formula.
The New York Times on July 8
reported this outcome, which occurred
at a WHO meeting in Geneva in the
spring.
Reported the Times: “American offi-
cials sought to water down the resolu-
tion by removing language that called
on governments to ‘protect, promote
and support breastfeeding’ and another
passage that called on policymakers to
restrict the promotion of food products
that many experts say can have deleteri-
ous effects on young children.”
When that failed, the U.S. delega-
tion went after the resolution’s sponsor,
Ecuador. When Ecuador backed down,
other small and poor nations would not
take the risk of opposing the U.S. on the
breastfeeding issue. Surprisingly, Russia
became the resolution’s sponsor. And
that caused the U.S. to back down.
The reasons for breastfeeding are
multiple. Among them are a mother’s
bonding with the infant, sharing immu-
nity to disease between mother and
infant and avoiding preparation of for-
mula with drinking water that could
be impure. It also tends to lead to bet-
ter odds for survival during the baby’s
first year — including a lower risk of
Blend Images
A mother breastfeeds her baby boy.
‘The Trump administration sows so much
chaos that it would be easy to ignore this
mischief at the World Health Organization.’
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Infant formula has a role to play in
situations when women cannot breast-
feed. But it is not the primary recom-
mendation for mothers of infants.
The WHO recommends that infants
from Belgium with his bride. What a family
discovery. So much missed.
NORM HOOGE
Astoria
need to motivate and help them, and thereby
better their chances of becoming citizens.
Simply protesting noisily and holding up
signs isn’t doing that. Otherwise, illegal immi-
grants will just be foreigners living on Amer-
ican soil, subject to deportation. And that’s no
way for Latinos to live happy lives.
Washington’s globalists and establishment
politicians screwed up America’s immigration
system big time. And worried Americans with
their votes in 2016 shouted: Enough!
President Trump’s now fixing the mess.
And America will be the stronger for it.
DON HASKELL
Astoria
be breastfed for the first six months to
achieve optimal growth development
and health. It was in the face of that the
U.S. delegate to the WHO conference
pitched for formula feeding and against
breastfeeding.
The Washington Post has noted that
this is not the first time an administra-
tion has promoted infant formula mak-
ers to the detriment of breastfeeding.
The Post noted that in 1981, the Reagan
administration took that stance.
The Trump administration sows so
much chaos within America and around
the world on a daily basis that it would
be easy to forget or disregard this brief
foray at WHO. But the gaping hole
between decades of research and the
Trump attempt to subvert that knowl-
edge demonstrates a level of phenom-
enal ignorance, as well as a strategy
based on craven work for a financial
benefactor.
Like President Trump’s aversion to
admitting the reality of climate change
and global warming, this incident in
Geneva reflects the administration’s
trashing of science. It also denigrates the
welfare of women and infants.
We could write this off as one more
aberration of a presidency that is curi-
ous at best and enormously destructive
at worst. But as we saw in Helsinki this
week, when the president utters non-
sense, he is speaking to the world as the
face of America. We cannot go along
with that.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Please ban stacking
boulders on Riverwalk
recently moved to this beautiful and indus-
trious city from farther inland, and very
much enjoy the quality of life that Astoria has
to offer.
I have, however, in the course of my gro-
cery store commute stroll on the famed Astoria
Riverwalk, noticed boulders stacked purposely
in precariously erected towers, some reaching
an excess of seven feet tall.
I used to enjoy the sight of these towers
until I observed boulders strewn about, due
to an obvious failure, and I began to won-
der when those examples failed, and why. It
then occurred to me that these art installa-
tions could potentially hurt someone or some-
thing (a pet) if these stacks were stressed and
allowed to fall. I imagine a small child pushing
a center stone and collapsing top stones on top
of themselves, or a dog leash wrapping around
a column and toppling it over.
It is because of this, and other hazards that
may arise, that I have been personally demol-
ishing these unstable and easily undermined
structures (at risk to myself), and resent the
comments directed at me when this initia-
tive is taken. Who would be legally responsi-
ble for damages caused by these unauthorized
and unlicensed structures, the city? The parties
most responsible would not. Please post signs
banning such activity.
JAMES FICEK
Astoria
I
Remembering the rich
history of our parents
his month we celebrated the Fourth of July
across the U.S. and its territories. There
were flags everywhere, including mine. Amer-
ica means different things to its people, but
we have commonalities, especially freedom to
live without oppression.
This was also a time for relaxing and hav-
ing fun. For me, it was a time to think about
family history and memories. Born in the
Depression, I don’t remember suffering from
anything. My young parents were farm peo-
ple. My father, the son of a Belgian immigrant,
worked hard in the soil. My mother canned,
butchered, made ingredients such as butter for
cooking, and did many farm tasks, designed
then as man’s work. We were lucky.
Now I try to remember, as I think many
do. I am the last of my generation. My kids
are off on their own history. My brother and
parents are gone — and that’s life. What I am
sad about is I was too busy trying to achieve
and, with my wife, raising our family, to
record and remember the rich history of my
parents.
While I remember a lot, it’s sketchy. What I
don’t have now is someone to ask. What I will
do is difficult — that is, to try and research for
bits and pieces. For example, when my wife
and I visited Ellis Island we found entries of
my grandfather, already a citizen, returning
T
Trump is fixing the
immigration mess
ver 56 million Latinos live in America.
Most came here legally, have assimi-
lated into society and are good citizens. But in
recent years, Washington’s elite establishment
pushed a globalist agenda by not enforcing
immigration laws worth a damn. And millions
more Latinos illegally crashed the border.
The floods of illegal immigrants aren’t
assimilating into American society like Lati-
no-Americans’ ancestors did. Too many
aren’t learning and speaking English. They’re
adversely affecting America’s culture and
crime rate. Their welfare and other costs to
taxpayers are skyrocketing. And, drugs pour
across the border. These things alarm Ameri-
can citizens, including Latino-Americans.
Democratic politicians give the impres-
sion millions more Latinos mean millions
more Democrats. That would explain their
obstructionism on immigration. But when
Latinos become citizens, and fully understand
the opportunities America gives them, they’ll
think for themselves who to vote for.
Illegal immigrants who don’t learn English
and become part of American society will
likely be deported. Efforts of illegal immi-
grants to assimilate are essential. Latino leaders
O
Code enforcement
should be uniformly applied
n July 11, The Daily Astorian reported
that the city manager was perturbed that
the proposed developer of a new hotel in the
area around Stephanie’s Cabin had overgrown
weeds around the property, and if this is not
addressed the city will proceed with code
enforcement (“Hotel developer dinged for
overgrown Astoria lot”).
Huh? In this city we have residences that
have weeds and brush blocking sidewalks par-
tially or completely; sidewalks broken and
sloped, where only a mountain goat is com-
fortable; and derelict vehicles in yards and on
the street that have not moved in months, and
plates that expired months or years ago.
It has taken years to do something about
O
the rundown buildings in downtown, but this
effort has not been made with regard to resi-
dences, that in some cases are far worse than
the blight that existed on Commercial Street.
Code enforcement should be uniformly
applied, not just selectively when city hall
wants to badger a waterfront property owner.
MIKE GREEN
Astoria
Vote ‘no’ on
gun classes in schools
ecently it was reported that Initiative
Petition 6 seeks to place on the ballot
a requirement for all sixth graders to attend
gun safety class. Clearly this is an overreach
and infringement on the rights of parents and
students.
The National Rifle Association has been the
go-to source (or at least they used to be) for
firearm safety. My father sent me, and I sent
my son to this course, as well. Requiring this
as part of grade school curriculum disregards
common sense and respect for citizens, as well
as appearing to be a political move under the
guise of safety. Safety courses can be easily
attained through numerous other sources.
Added costs for instructors are not dis-
cussed. Will already-strapped school districts
now have to delete some course material?
Longer school day(s) for this? Vote ‘no’ on Ini-
tiative Petition 6.
RICHARD McINTOSH
Astoria
R