Lawmakers To Consider Spanking Ban - Boston News Story - WCVB Boston
So I had to read this and see what the hell is going on in Beacon Hill. Do these politicians have nothing better to do than consider passing such a ban. Fox News has a story that California is also considering a spanking ban. In another story on WCVB I saw this very interesting quote which started my considering if this wouldn't be a bad thing.
"But now, lawmakers are considering making "the willfull infliction of physical pain on children under 18," illegal. The measure would prohibit corporal punishment including whipping, spanking and pinching. Also forbidden would be washing a child's mouth out with soap and administering electric shocks.""Administering electric shocks"? What the hell is that? I think that giving a swat on a kids butt is not abuse and I have a real problem with the Government interfering with how parents decide how to discipline their children and also don't think that having kids put soap in their mouths as punishment is something that needs to be banned. Now I am of course for protecting children from abuse (of course I have to state the obvious since we live in such an overly sensitive society) but certainly see a distinction between swatting for punishment vice and abuse. We are seeing an increasing encroachment on parents rights couched in the language of protecting the children and like all these other attempts should be resisted. There are many in this society that believe parents do now own their children (and actually compare views like that to slavery) and I disagree. Having children is accepting some sort of responsibility to nurture, protect, develop and guide children based on what parents believe, not what the "state" dictates. Anyone who disagrees quotes folks like Doctor Benjamin Spock who says "If we are ever to turn toward a kindlier society and a safer world, a revulsion against the physical punishment of children would be a good place to start." If we are ever to turn toward a kindlier society and safer world, we should instead focus on acknowledging and addressing the evils of this world and parents giving their kids a spanking doesn't rank up there with Islamic fundamentalism, Socialism, Exploitation of children, racial hatred, etc. Full disclosure though - I doubt I would ever strike a child in anger or for punishment. I just don't agree with it. But I also don't support a interventionist governmental approach to dictate to me how I should raise my children and what values I should install in them. That is for me to decide.
I have to do some research to see who is defending the administration of electric shocks as punishment. I think I have a problem with that.
Outspoken Roman
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