Should the government ban spanking??

Chris OConnor

California Lawmaker Seeks to Ban Spanking of Children Under 4

SACRAMENTO — California parents would face jail and a fine for spanking their young children under legislation a San Francisco Bay area lawmaker has promised to introduce next week.

Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View, said such a law is needed because spanking victimizes helpless children and breeds violence in society.

"I think it's pretty hard to argue you need to beat a child," Lieber said. "Is it OK to whip a 1-year-old or a 6-month-old or a newborn?"

Lieber said her proposal would make spanking, hitting and slapping a child under 4 years old a misdemeanor. Adults could face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Aides to the assemblywoman said they are still working on a definition for spanking.

Some Republican lawmakers called the idea ridiculous. But Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he may be receptive to it even though he has concerns about how the ban would be enforced.

The governor said he and his wife, Maria Shriver, did not spank their four children and used alternative methods for discipline. For example, Schwarzenegger said they found it more effective to threaten to take away their children's play time if they didn't do school work.

"They hate that much more than getting spanked," he told reporters Friday in Los Angeles.

California law permits spanking by parents unless the degree of force is excessive or not appropriate for the child's age.

So what is your opinion? Should the government be stepping into our homes and deciding on how a parent punishes their child? Or is all hitting always bad?

Results (total votes = 3):


I applaud California and think spanking is always wrong	0 / 0.0%

Spanking is wrong almost always, but I support this ban	0 / 0.0%

Spanking can be effective and I would leave it up to parents	0 / 0.0%

The government has no right to tell parents how to punish	3 / 100.0%

I support random spankings in fact I love to be spanked	0 / 0.0%

Chris OConnor

As long as the spanking is in moderation I feel it is an effective tool to educate a mindless child on how to act properly. ROFL I am so kidding. But seriously...spanking is sometimes the only way to get the point across.

Loricat · Graduate Student Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 446 Gender:

Gads. Kids are undisciplined enough without making spanking illegal. And someone should explain to that silly woman that whipping is not spanking, among other things.

"All beings are the owners of their deeds, the heirs to their deeds."

Loricat's Book Nook
Celebrating the Absurd

Chris OConnor

Years ago I was at the mall in the parking lot walking to my car. I heard a child screaming out super loud - like totally terrified. That's when I saw this old black man, probably 65 years old, spanking this little 4 year old so hard I literally thought it would snap the kids spine. I considered intervening, but then he stopped the beating. He hit that little kid with all his might. It was disgusting and I just stood there staring for like 10 seconds at him like he was a total piece of shit. I wanted to say something, but my stare seemed to do the trick.

Loricat · Graduate Student Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 446 Gender:

I hear you, Chris...The difficulty lies in assigning rules & laws to everything -- how do you legislate degrees? Spanking a kid a couple of times to make a disciplinary point may be fine, but whacking a kid like you saw sure isn't.

But as always, fewer rules are better than a set of rules that itemize all interactions...assuming, of course, that everyone shares similar values.

"All beings are the owners of their deeds, the heirs to their deeds."

Loricat's Book Nook
Celebrating the Absurd


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