So, in the latest NFL kerflfuffle, Minnesota Vikings running back has been indicted for hitting his kid with a switch on his bare bottom, which also wrapped around his legs, leaving welts on his thighs and scrotum. Plus, the kid has defensive marks on his hands. The kid is 5 or 6 years old.
What an asshole. He’s totally unrepentant, because he remembers how much good getting “whooped” did him as a kid, and claims he loves his kids very much.
This is going to be interesting to see how this plays out in the NFL, with the Ray Rice thing so fresh in everyone’s mind. I find beating your children more abhorrent than beating your wife, but not everyone does. Goddell is damned if he does (“I can’t believe AP got suspended at all! Most kids these days need a good beatin’”) and damned if he doesn’t (“Of course he should be suspended - he should be in jail!”)
Ultimately, Peterson is a nasty, awful person, I don’t care what his parents taught him. Fuck him right in the butt.
This article has a photo of some of the injuries. I got plenty of whippings when I was a kid. My Mom favored the switch, Dad always used a belt, and the school used a wooden paddle. As far as I know, I didn’t look like that after any of them. There were a few where Mom went a bit overboard because she was angry. I remember being sore for awhile and having welts sometimes, but I’m pretty sure I never bled and I know I never had any open wounds.
Yea I agree, I was born in 83 and got plenty of switches(leafless green sticks) and belt beatings. Now granted I don’t think my parents ever drew blood, or hit me on the scrotum! But yea this was “normal”, one time my dad tied me up with electrical extension cord like hog tied, and I hopped out to the front lawn and screamed my head off. Someone called the cops, they came and left without incident.
The cops wanted to know one thing, was this man my father? Assured the answer was yes they said good day and left. In retrospect I guess they wanted to make sure I wasn’t a kidnap victim of a pedophile or something.
Do ya think maybe it’s time to retire the old “My parents beat the hell out of me when I was a kid, and I turned out all right” bit?
First of all, we did many things decades ago that we have since thought the better of.
And second, I would have to see the individual who makes such a statement in action over a period of time and in different situations before taking his word for it that he turned out all right.
ETA: I’m not aiming this statement at anyone in particular. It’s just something I’m sure you’ll hear in relation to this case.
Every time I hear someone say, “I got whipped as a kid and I turned out okay, a whipping will do them good!” I can only respond with, “Nope. You didn’t turn out okay. It’s not okay to think violence against a child is good.”
As Marley said:
Plus, what the hey, let’s make a corollary to Godwin’s Law and see what reception this gets:
Where’s the real difference there? Both the whipping and the molestation of children are abuse, specifically they’re child abuse. It’s not okay. Neither one is okay.
Your making false equivalences doesn’t disprove my assertion. Incarceration isn’t kidnapping–it’s a non-violent removal of a person deemed to be unfit for society. At least, in theory. Oh, and if you want to bring up capital punishment, try to remember that I am completely against that punishment. I’m also against bringing back other violent punishments such as forced tattooing, amputation of digits, limbs, or other body parts, and lashing.
Spanking is certainly violence, and a heinous form of violence at that.
There’s a HUGE difference between a routine spanking (a few swats on the butt with your hand), and then beating a kid so bad he needs medical attention. I got spanked a few times – most for doing something dangerous. (Like if I ran out into the road, I got a swat). But never, EVER did my parents beat me with a belt or anything like that.
