There's a debate raging on Facebook and the Twitterverse after Facebook took down a picture of a young mom nursing one of her children from her Facebook page, according to azcentral.com. Facebook deemed the picture violated its obscenity policy for photos.

The mom cried foul, saying breastfeeding isn't obscene. She started a Facebook group called "Hey, Facebook, breastfeeding is not obscene." (The group has 201,146 members when I just checked; and a counter group -- "Breastfeeding IS obscene" has sprung up with 45 members)

Another Facebooking mom found out about the controversy and organized a "virtual nurse-in," azcentral.com reports, where 11,000 people replaced their normal profile picture with a picture of a nursing mom.

So what do I think?

Well, first, I breastfed both my kids, and there's no way breastfeeding is obscene. It's the most natural and beautiful way to feed your child, and it's very possible to breastfeed so modestly that no one sees even a bit of breast. (I breastfed my kids in many a public place, discretely.)

Point two: I really admire the women who are making an issue of this because I admire anyone who champions what they believe is right. I think the virtual nurse-in idea is clever. I admire their gumption.

With that said ... while I don't think breastfeeding is obscene, I do see that a private company like Facebook has a legal right to limit whatever it wants on its site. And I can see value in limiting pictures it considers obscene. Update: Since I wrote this post last night, I have learned that Facebook only removed photos that showed a naked breast.

I think a key question is what the breastfeeding picture in question looked like. I'd feel Facebook went overboard if it removed a sweet picture of a baby and mom that doesn't show anything or shows just a bit of skin. But I see Facebook's point if the mom is topless or nearly, even though she's doing something beautiful and natural. Again, I don't think breastfeeding is obscene, but, like it or not, in our culture, breasts are seen as primarily a sex object -- not a food source.

Now I realize that at least in New York state, woman can legally go topless thanks to some fiesty Rochester ladies. And I'm all for fighting policies that limit where women can breastfeed. Women should be able to breastfeed where ever they want. But, and this is my big but, I still can't get around Facebook having a legal right to do what it wants on its site. Although, it's certainly unfair if the site targets breastfeeding pictures and doesn't remove other nudity.

Info via the Syracuse.com website - 1st January 2009