Courtesy of Mediaite:
Sean Hannity defended Adrian Peterson last night by invoking how his own father used to beat him. And to illustrate that point rather vividly, Hannity took off his belt and whipped it around.
Hannity admitted that Peterson went too far in beating his kids, but said he shouldn’t be penalized for trying to discipline his children. His guests pushed back a bit on corporal punishment and Hannity asked, “We’re gonna arrest everybody that’s ever hit their kid?”
He recalled a time when his dad once punched him in the face and he “deserved it.” And then Hannity said, “I’ll take my belt off.” Which he did. And then proceeded to whip it on the table a few times to demonstrate how it was done.
Jesus what a fucking moron!
Nobody is suggesting that any person who utilizes corporal punishment in order to discipline their children could be brought up on charges, but there is a clear distinction between discipline and brutality. And if you do not understand that then you have no business raising your hand to a child.
I only spanked my daughter on the bottom a handful of times, and they usually consisted simply of a single pop on the butt.
Like I said there were probably less than a half dozen of these, and they were by no definition excessive, however my daughter remembers every single one and she still feels the sting of my aggression, for which I am eternally shamed for not being a more capable parent.
I myself was beaten by caregivers as a child, when my mother, who was working two jobs to support us, left us with strangers who provided room and board, and heaping amounts of discipline.
I was the identified troublemaker so I was left with strap marks on my back and legs, bruises on my arms and face, and deep emotional scars that even as a middle aged man slither to the surface every so often.
My response was to work with children for the majority of my life, mostly to protect them from others and to demonstrate that patience and consistency are far more effective at behavior modification than instilling fear or using brutality.
Personally I think that Hannity would be well served with some time in a psychiatrist's office, and have little doubt that there is a plethora of psychological problems swirling around in that square cranium of his.
There was a time where it was commonplace and accepted to use corporeal punishment. Not anymore.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in the 50's and that was the way that parenting was done. That is no longer the case and hasn't been for decades. Even though it may go on, it is NOT considered good parenting to hit your child. And to hit your child with an object is even worse. And to hit a child when you are in a rage is also not acceptable.
Times change and parents need to change with them. I don't care what you mother or father or grandfather did before, you can make new choices and it's just lazy parenting if you don't.
From the story of Bristol's fisticuffs, it's certain that the Palin children were raised in a home that was familiar with violence.
ReplyDeleteIt would be hell for a child to get use to seeing a parent throw chit in anger at the refrigerator.
DeleteMany times harm and even death comes when a violent parents aim is off. Say the can bounced off and killed the dog or one of the neighbors kids that were visiting.
So many times children die not because they were attacked or punished. They were just in the wrong place.
That is a big issue with Tripp being at a gang fight. People were ignoring and neglecting him. He was abandoned to who knows where. Small and forgotten, he could have been stampeded and smothered to death.
The APD failed him and the next day he was still in danger with a stranger. Now a mysterious stranger because no one knows what is up with that.
Levi seems to not care either.
Is he also abandoning Tripp's safety and well being?
We know the police in Alaska do not care about children.
Tripp Johnston is in serious need of an emergency intervention. I hope the world is not abandoning him.
The Adrian Peterson NFL is a huge story.
Little Todd and Bristol Palin and Iron Dog kind of dull people that do another kind of child abuse.
You know Ski-doo will profit both Sarah and Todd no matter they cheat or what.
Hannity is an ass. Adrian Peterson, a muscular strong NFL football player, whipped his 4 year old child with a stick. The child had to stuff the leaves from the stick into his mouth before being whipped many times by his father. The whipping was so severe that blood was drawn and some of those marks were still bleeding a week later. In spite of all that, I think that Adrian Peterson was simply copying what his parents did when he was growing up. That is not an excuse but maybe this whole "conversation" will help break the cycle of this type of child abuse. The ignorance regarding this is unbelievable. Peterson is very religious so I'm sure his parents are, too. They were probably following charming old James Dobson since he instructed parents to beat their kids into submission. I think that Sean Hannity's vileness is a product of the beatings he received as a child.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on both counts.
DeleteAnd regarding Hannity, when I read the post, I immediately thought, so that's why he's such a pompous ass.
You spanked your daughter on the bottom and she remembered everyone of them, of course she did. You were wrong then and you are wrong now
ReplyDeleteWTF are you talking about? How is he 'wrong' then and now? Seems to me he's articulated his regret in light spanking in his early parenting, how is he wrong now?
DeleteMoved to Lake Chuck, La when son was an infant ... new pediatrician had a printed list of foods the kid could eat as he got older .... on the list was BEATS (surely he wanted to say beets)
ReplyDeletePediatrician was a wee bit embarrassed when error was pointed out ... he had several pads full of this list.
Now you know why they "beat'em down south.
I can understand the debate about the morality versus effectiveness of spankings or "a pop on the butt", but when an adult deliberately injures a child it should be considered abuse. One son was covered with scratches and scabs. He must have been a bloody mess after the beating. The other boy had a cut above his eye that left a scar. If that's just a "whoopin", is it okay to burn them with a cigarette or pour salt in their eyes too? And how about broken bones - is a finger or toe acceptable? Maybe the nose?
ReplyDeleteThat poor child had marks all over his body, even on his scrotum and anus. That's not discipline - that's abuse. Sickening!
ReplyDeleteHannity is the best example of what happens when you whip your child with a belt and punch him in the face repeatedly. Those of us who had similar experiences and spared our children from the same fate are called survivors. Hannity is obviously not part of that outcome
ReplyDeletePhysical punishment may be expedient, but it is not the best route to lasting behavioral changes. If you don't have time to be a better parent, don't have kids.
ReplyDeleteOh not again! Another personal life experience inserted into the discussion of a news story. My goodness, how is it possible one person, middle-aged at that, can have, what would be a lifetime for most people, so many varied things happen to them? Go figure!
ReplyDelete@12:54
DeleteSome of us have had experiences because we sought them out! Some of us have had experiences because they were thrust upon us. Some of us have both.
I believe that a person who does NOT seek out experiences is a fool and wastes their life.
I also believe that a person who was beaten as a child should SHARE that with others as a negatively memorable experience so others might have the chance to recognize their possible own behavior.
It's called learning, not boring - unless the person on the receiving end is too lazy to recognize it.
Sharing one's experience(s) with abuse does two things at the least: They TEACH and they expose the pain sometimes making it easier to handle. Exposing those memories can be some of the hardest things a person may go through and it is a prime goal for psychological healing.
Kind of like shining a light on "the monster under the bed".
This country - at the very least - NEEDS this national conversation and the MORE people hear about other people's pain of having experienced it is a critical part of that discussion.
If you actually don't understand that and feel it is a waste of your time, I pity you. And I suggest you refrain from reading anything that smacks of what you are complaining about!
Leland, it isn't the issue, which is horrible in and of itself. I completely understand the dialogue both now and future to get a handle on the situation. No, my point, which you didn't understand and I'll reserve
Deletemy pity for others needier than you. I am a long time reader of this blog, in fact from it's inception.I only wanted to point out one of many instances in which
the author has "been there, done that" when reporting on a story. Thus someone so young to have experienced something from a lot of the stories, all diverse, is unseemly.
12:54 Come on we all should know by now that Gryphen has seen and done everything. Knives pulled on him then beat the kid who did it, saving damsels in distress, beaten by a caregiver, trained women in personal defense, worked with special needs kids, gangbanged by the Palin clan, oh wait that post is still in the works. If he was payed for every I he posted on this blog, he would be a rich man.
DeleteGood grief, 12:54, it doesn't strike me at all "unseemly" that a middle-aged person can relate to many life experiences. That's one of the upsides to getting to middle-age and attaining true maturity.
Delete@12:54
DeleteOh I understood your point quite clearly. You just seem to want to refuse to see that. Others who have commented on your statement seem to concur with what I said.
Since you didn't get the point of my message, try reading 6:13. HE seems to agree with what I was saying. So, are you so young you haven't acquired those experiences or are you one of those who DON'T seek out different experiences?
What I said pertains EXACTLY to what you said originally. Some people LOOK for experiences. And a tremendous number of middle aged people - or even older such as myself - have huge numbers of memories from actually DOING things. And while doing those things, some bad things DO happen.
Wake up and LIVE. If you do it long enough, you will be able to relate with exactly what you are complaining about.
Age brings experience. LOTS of them. Period.
If the APD wasn't covering for Todd Palin he would be in the news with his family of abusers.
ReplyDeleteWhat's happened to the Mudflats website?
ReplyDeleteWords fail. Hannity is such an freaking idiot. Anyone, including myself, who has been physically attacked by an irate parent, never forgets the experience. Hannity is old school and his attitude shows how out-of-touch he is concerning the horrible psychological effects of child abuse.
ReplyDeleteActually, let me rephrase that. You get guys like Hannity because of child abuse - and he even says 'I deserved it'.
After generations of child abuse on the paternal side of my family, I took up the stand to stop the cycle of abuse. None of my sons were subject to such abuse and now, as adults, they are outstanding men and I'm NOT bragging. They are not in jail, they don't do drugs, they don't start fights, are college graduates, have jobs, and volunteer for many organizations that benefit those less fortunate. That's the difference between abusing your children and raising them with love and respect. But that doesn't mean letting them by with everything - that would turn them into spoiled brats. There is a balance when disciplining children.
My siblings, on the other hand, are totally screwed up mentally because of the abuse at our father's hands. What started out as innocent children, turned us into psychotic adults. It takes every ounce of your being to get the abuse out of your head though I now know one cannot just 'forget'. You have to learn to deal with it on your own terms.
There is lot of abuse (of all venues) in Alaska where I was raised; the Palin family is an example of this. I wouldn't doubt Sarah was abused by her father and that her mother enabled him OR just stood by and did nothing to help her. Thus, Sarah became a 'mean girl' while putting on the fake front of being a good mother, Christian and all that nonsense.
Being a victim of abuse can actually split your personality into different 'fronts' or altered personalities that react on cue - such as Sarah turning into Miss Goodie Two Shoes once in front of a camera or microphone. We all know that Sarah's and her family's true personalities came out at the now infamous brawl. The only people who cannot see through this are living in a religious cave somewhere where they have a picture of their inglorious leader (Sarah) on the wall. In other words, totally clueless and in denial.
The only violence I would like to see now is someone stuffying Hannity's belt in his face just to shut him up forever.
As for Sarah and her tribe of misfits, karma has a way of coming back around and it's coming full speed now. Consider karma a 'law' of the universe - whatever you put out into the world, it comes back at you sooner or later. Karma is knocking on the Palin's front door now. Now only if they can be prosecuted for their crimes, would karma be just-so-damn-sweet.
Good for you, 1:54, and congratulations! I, too, reacted positively to my father's wrath when a child, but in my case I refused to have children to guarantee I would never have the chance to do it. Of course, recognizing a vicious temper early didn't hurt any when making my choice.
DeleteYou are the lucky one. You were able to have your children and break the cycle. I dearly love children and enjoy every moment I spend with my nieces and nephews. Many is the time I have regretted the choice I made, but when I consider what I might have done? That regret goes away.
More power to you, bud!
Leland, I have always read your comments with delight, inspiration, and awe. I admire your thinking, and wish there were more like you.
DeleteNice try, Sean. That's the oldest trick in the book:
ReplyDeletestep 1: remove belt
step 2: stand up
step 3: watch 'in horror' as trousers fall down
step 4: exclaim loudly "OH NO!!! I FORGOT TO WEAR UNDERWEAR TODAY AND EVERYONE CAN SEE MY PECKER! LOOK!!!!!"
smh! (in a good way) and laughing.
DeleteThanks Beldar!
Sorry, but I wouldn't be able to get all the way to step 4.
DeleteI've got an old tv and the screen isn't big enough to see something so small.
What was Adrian Peterson trying to achieve with his young son? The little guy took a controller away from another child; in another report he pushed a child from a bicycle. Was the child demonstrating precocious sign of bullying or simply not knowing any better? Well, Mr Peterson ask yourself this: where o' where might he have seen examples of bullying and why is it he still has problems playing nice with others?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: you, sir. You lead and parent by example. Beating him bloody with a branch; wrong answer. In the future, if you have the privilege of parenting or a future, try hugging the child. Teach him a little empathy; ask him if he would like it if the other child had taken his toy or shoved him off his bicycle. Then ask what he thinks he should do to show the other child he's sorry.
If your son replies: "beat him with a stick," you've done more than physical damage to your son. Please, if so, get him and yourself counseling and stick with it, until you understand everything, including the fact that beating a child bloody is child abuse.
Cute Trig. Love the tie!
ReplyDeleteSarah Palin Disaster in Alaska (Video)
http://www.sugarslam.com/kate-gosselinsarah-palin-disaster-in-alaska-video/
All these stories about physical abuse to spouses and children is a good thing that people are talking about it. Just because one is beat as a child does not mean one has to carry it on. I have not been a fan of the NFL ever because we glorify brute strength and turn ordinary athletes into gods. What do people expect from guys that are praised for their abilities to kick ass on the field and then magically turn it off when they go home? These are men of great strength who have no business hitting on anyone they love because of it.
ReplyDeleteI was whipped with switches, belts, you name it and for the most minor things. I have been thinking about it a lot the last few days and it is child abuse. I decided when I became a parent that i would never terrorize my children with beatings, ever, although my son got the wooden spoon on his butt a few times. But I truly think my parents thought it was their duty because they got beat. I really can't think of anything I have ever did as a child that warranted it because we were beat into being good little girls regardless. I find this whole topic eye-opening for many people, just because you got beat does not mean it is okay to beat your kids.
also, hannity is an idiot of epic proportions, no wonder he is the only one left on Fox that can stand Sarah.
ReplyDeleteAs a Minnesota Vikings fan I am embarrassed by Adrian. I don't have a problem with spanking but using something other than your hand to spank is crossing the line.
ReplyDeleteG -
ReplyDeleteHard to find the words to describe this person - not as bad as Limbaugh - but just as ignorant.
Pat Padrnos
It's Hannity being Hannity. This man gave money to the George Zimmerman Defense Fund, should tell you all you need to know about how his brain works.
ReplyDeleteI got open palmed slapped on the butt, and never in front of anyone else. My parents didn't know any better, but things have changed a lot since then.
The NFL better get it's act together and make a rule that applies equally across the board as far as tolerance for VAW and Child Abuse. They took a HUGE step by getting a panel of lily white women together as PR to show they're doing something about it, but last time I looked, the NFL has all races, and very few women players being accused of child abuse.
The one kid was four, shamed and humiliated before, during and after, which accomplishes nothing but adding to the emotional abuse component.
A child needs to know they're loved, that what they did was wrong and shouldn't happen again, then being told the boundaries and consequences.
My son used to get me upset, and I'd yell "That's it, tonight I'm sending you to bed with no shoes!", we laugh about it now, but it really upset him at the time, then he realized people don't wear shoes to bed. (well, not all the time, now he knows some women DO wear heels to bed) lol.
I work in a school and I know of numerous instances when teachers were afraid to call parents about a student's inappropriate behavior because they knew that child would "get a whoopin' " when he or she got home.
ReplyDeleteThe teachers never wanted to be the cause for one of their students being hit by a parent.
Of course, the fact that these children were regularly hit at home just MIGHT be the reason for their antisocial behavior in the first place.
I wonder how Hannity would feel if Peterson hauled off and beat him with the stick? As long and as hard? Would he take it? Would he press charges?
ReplyDeleteWhy can't a small boy have those options?
Christ is there any despicable act this piece of dog shit won't defend. At least now we know why he's a sociopath'
ReplyDeleteSean...you're not ok. Your upbringing speaks volumes.Get some help.
ReplyDeleteI always felt that there was something a bit off about this guy.
ReplyDeleteRows with one oar. skip 2 Colorado 9:04 PM , you are so right! Palin is another one oar rower.
What an asshat. My parents used corporal punishment - we got hit with a wooden spoon, belt - whatever was at hand. Had welts, bruises, bloody lips from being smacked across the face. Oh sure I was probably a bit of a handful but I suspect that some of my rebellion was related to the brutality of my parents discipline. And this started when I was very young - when I got old enough to grab the object and say hit me, I hit you it stopped. But I bet that a smack on the bum as a disciplinary tactic doesn't leave the mental images that I will always have of being beaten by my "good" parents. People who hit children are sickos.
ReplyDeleteOnce when I was 14, my stepfather came home in the afternoon to find me and a girlfriend playing hooky. He didn't touch me. He took my record player away for three months which, if you know me, is like pulling an I.V. line out of my arm. I never forgot it.
ReplyDeleteHitting a child just teaches them to handle life's petty annoyances with violence, and they in turn will find someone to subjugate and bully. Few things are more predictable.