Adrian Peterson - Child Abuse?

[Palehorse]

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was arrested for child abuse, and the collective assholes of approximately 250 million people in this country just clinched so tight they'll be shitting diamonds in the coming weeks. Why?

Adrian Peterson used a form of discipline that millions of parents, their parents, and their parents several generations before them used in disciplining their unruly children during their formative years; the switch.

It was used upon me and my siblings many a time over our lives as young unruly children, and it never killed us. In fact, I am fairly certain it was used on all of my cousins as well, with the same frequency, and for the same reasons; on both sides of my family.

I saw pictures purported to be of Peterson's sons legs post switching, and I am here to say that it was a light switching. (IF those are in fact pictures of the boys legs).

So why are there so many assholes clinching today you ask? Well, because every single one of those 250 million people have either had the switch used on them, or have used the switch themselves upon their children. That's why.

Imagine my realization that, had my own parents been alive today and raising me and my siblings, they'd be incarcerated for child abuse. In fact, me, my siblings, all of my cousins, and their own children, would now be wards of the various states we live in had this same application of "the law" been present when we were raised.

I dare say there are several generations of "child abusers" in every family in this nation by that standard. So WTF is up with this?

So many are yelling about parental responsibility surrounding the ramifications of unruly children these days, but now we want to take one of the most traditional of disciplinary tools and call it child abuse when it is used?

I can tell you that for each transgression I committed as a child, that resulted in the administration of the switch, or the belt, there were ZERO repeats of those actions for me and my siblings as children. In fact, the mere mention of a switching was very effective in instilling a better decision making process within me and my siblings growing up. If we even thought that something we were considering doing would result in a switching, we would not do it. What is wrong with this?

Yes, it is a serious form of corporal punishment, however serious corporal punishment is what is required when teaching a child the behaviors necessary to obtain proper decision making skills. Some situations are deadly if you make the wrong decision; crossing the street without an adult, running into the street, climbing high structures, etc., etc., etc.. . . Then there are things like spitting on people, hitting people, breaking things, stealing. . . The list is endless, and how are we supposed to teach a child that there are ramifications for doing the wrong things, and consequences when you do them despite being told not to?

Time outs, grounding, or removal of games? Those methods brought us the theatre killer and other social misfits that bomb schools, etc.! That shit doesn't work and I am betting the majority reading this know it.

I'm sorry as I am sure there will be some here who disagree with  my position here, but I won't apologize for using a switch myself upon my children when they screwed up and disobeyed a direct order not to do something. Or broke a rule they absolutely knew about. They had to learn, and people are alive because of it I am sure.

What the media and state of Texas are doing to Peterson is itself wrong. He didn't put the kid in the hospital, he didn't punch or kick the kid; he used a switch, just as was used upon him growing up. Yes, it hurts like hell, and yes it draws blood at times, and raises welts. But when you experience it as a child there dis one thing for sure, whatever you did that caused you to be switched was NOT something you ever did again; or at least with any frequency.

And that is good parenting in my book.

[Bo D]

I wholeheartedly agree with you. My grandfather would give me the option of picking out my own switch.

[Locutus]

My mom used the switch too. 

[Palehorse]

I wholeheartedly agree with you. My grandfather would give me the option of picking out my own switch.

Yup! I remember mom telling me to go out and cut her a switch several times growing up. And don't come back with a twig either, because that results in some extra lashes if she then had to go out and cut her own switch. 

She stopped sending me out for them when I came back with oversized switches she was afraid to use though. . . 

Heck, I remember the paddle in school too. That sucker had holes drilled through it for extra stinging! (They stopped using those too, and look what has happened in our schools!)

[Palehorse]

My mom used the switch too.

See! Already we have three perfectly normal and productive human beings testifying to the effectiveness of the switch. 

[Palehorse]

See! Already we have three perfectly normal and productive human beings testifying to the effectiveness of the switch. 

Makes me want to move to Texas just so I could possibly get onto his jury.

Seriously. If I'm on that jury, I take one look at the pictures and everything else becomes noise. The when deliberations roll around I vote "not guilty" and absolutely refuse to budge. (I bet I wouldn't be the only one).

[Palehorse]

Here's the pictures I saw. I'm telling you most of my switchings were like this, and some worse. Didn't kill me, didn't send me to the hospital, but it DID teach me not to do that crap again!

[Locutus]

Adrian Peterson has just released the following statement ... asking everyone to "understand how sorry I feel about the hurt I have brought to my child."

Peterson also says he has met with a psychologist and is learning there are other ways to discipline a child other than with a "switch."

The statement reads:



"My attorney has asked me not to discuss the facts of my pending case. I hope you can respect that request and help me honor it. I very much want the public to hear from me but I understand that it is not appropriate to talk about the facts in detail at this time. Nevertheless, I want everyone to understand how sorry I feel about the hurt I have brought to my child.

I never wanted to be a distraction to the Vikings organization, the Minnesota community or to my teammates. I never imagined being in a position where the world is judging my parenting skills or calling me a child abuser because of the discipline I administered to my son.

I voluntarily appeared before the grand jury several weeks ago to answer any and all questions they had. Before my grand jury appearance, I was interviewed by two different police agencies without an attorney. In each of these interviews I have said the same thing, and that is that I never ever intended to harm my son. I will say the same thing once I have my day in court.

I have to live with the fact that when I disciplined my son the way I was disciplined as a child, I caused an injury that I never intended or thought would happen. I know that many people disagree with the way I disciplined my child. I also understand after meeting with a psychologist that there are other alternative ways of disciplining a child that may be more appropriate.

I have learned a lot and have had to reevaluate how I discipline my son going forward. But deep in my heart I have always believed I could have been one of those kids that was lost in the streets without the discipline instilled in me by my parents and other relatives. I have always believed that the way my parents disciplined me has a great deal to do with the success I have enjoyed as a man. I love my son and I will continue to become a better parent and learn from any mistakes I ever make.

I am not a perfect son. I am not a perfect husband. I am not a perfect parent, but I am, without a doubt, not a child abuser. I am someone that disciplined his child and did not intend to cause him any injury. No one can understand the hurt that I feel for my son and for the harm I caused him. My goal is always to teach my son right from wrong and that's what I tried to do that day.

I accept the fact that people feel very strongly about this issue and what they think about my conduct. Regardless of what others think, however, I love my son very much and I will continue to try to become a better father and person."

[Palehorse]

Adrian Peterson has just released the following statement ... asking everyone to "understand how sorry I feel about the hurt I have brought to my child."

Peterson also says he has met with a psychologist and is learning there are other ways to discipline a child other than with a "switch."

The statement reads:



"My attorney has asked me not to discuss the facts of my pending case. I hope you can respect that request and help me honor it. I very much want the public to hear from me but I understand that it is not appropriate to talk about the facts in detail at this time. Nevertheless, I want everyone to understand how sorry I feel about the hurt I have brought to my child.

I never wanted to be a distraction to the Vikings organization, the Minnesota community or to my teammates. I never imagined being in a position where the world is judging my parenting skills or calling me a child abuser because of the discipline I administered to my son.

I voluntarily appeared before the grand jury several weeks ago to answer any and all questions they had. Before my grand jury appearance, I was interviewed by two different police agencies without an attorney. In each of these interviews I have said the same thing, and that is that I never ever intended to harm my son. I will say the same thing once I have my day in court.

I have to live with the fact that when I disciplined my son the way I was disciplined as a child, I caused an injury that I never intended or thought would happen. I know that many people disagree with the way I disciplined my child. I also understand after meeting with a psychologist that there are other alternative ways of disciplining a child that may be more appropriate.

I have learned a lot and have had to reevaluate how I discipline my son going forward. But deep in my heart I have always believed I could have been one of those kids that was lost in the streets without the discipline instilled in me by my parents and other relatives. I have always believed that the way my parents disciplined me has a great deal to do with the success I have enjoyed as a man. I love my son and I will continue to become a better parent and learn from any mistakes I ever make.

I am not a perfect son. I am not a perfect husband. I am not a perfect parent, but I am, without a doubt, not a child abuser. I am someone that disciplined his child and did not intend to cause him any injury. No one can understand the hurt that I feel for my son and for the harm I caused him. My goal is always to teach my son right from wrong and that's what I tried to do that day.

I accept the fact that people feel very strongly about this issue and what they think about my conduct. Regardless of what others think, however, I love my son very much and I will continue to try to become a better father and person."

I feel so much better knowing that Peterson grew up receiving the same kind of discipline I did when growing up. . . However, I wonder why I never became a multimillion dollar athlete? 

[Palehorse]

The one and only rule I imposed upon myself and my spouse, when it came to administering corporal punishment was; NEVER punish when angry. EVER.

I would wait until my emotions were under 100% control before breaking out the belt, switch, paddle, or laying my hand to my child. And I do the same with my grandchildren. (Of course, sending them home is the preferred option).

[Locutus]

I feel so much better knowing that Peterson grew up receiving the same kind of discipline I did when growing up. . . However, I wonder why I never became a multimillion dollar athlete? 

[Purplelady1040]

What this guy did borders on abuse. To spank a 4 year old child on his scrotum is just sick and abusive. Do I believe that you can spank a child and it not be abuse, yes, I do but never have my husband or I spanked our children when upset or angry.

[Purplelady1040]

By the way, I was switched also and I think I turned out okay.

[Anne]

I never had a switch used on me but I remember my dad getting his belt out once or twice. My husband used a belt on our son a few times and I swatted our daughters behind with a hair brush once. Usually if we used corporal punishment it was a hand to the posterior. I don't think I was traumatized by it or my children either. I slapped my kids hands when they were little, too, when they were getting into something they shouldn't, like turning the stove knobs. I don't know about this case, it seems to be a matter of degree, how many times did he hit him. A four year old, one or two swats should be enough, IMO.

[Locutus]

A four year old, one or two swats should be enough, IMO.

I agree with this statement too, and I think the pictures reveal that there were more than one or two strikes.