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Vikings Message Board has been shut down permanently. It will not return. There are two primary reasons.
1. The Vikings' cowardly decision to reinstate a child abuser and think that an apology will make this blow over. We will not stand for this arrogance and we will no longer be the home of any support of the Vikings. We stand for those who cannot defend themselves.
2. We will not give a voice to thugs who think child abuse is "cultural" or worse, openly advocate child abuse as a reasonable method of punishment. This ends here. Yes, a few board members have ruined it for everyone. Congratulations, [jerks].
Which is liberal code for: 1- We have convicted him and found him guilty. Anyone who dares lay a hand on their child in this day and age is a child-abuser. 2- Anyone who dares to defend him to any extent is, by association, as guilty as he is, and because of people who think disciplining their child is a good thing, I am picking up my balls and jacks and going home.
In fairness, the moderator that shut the whole thing down admits he did it in anger. He has allowed the board to return, albeit he admits to freely deleting any member that supports Peterson in any way shape or form.
And with the latest sacred cow skewered, the liberals blithely forget about Ray Rice, about the fans demanding his merchandise be returned to stores and his presence to the football field. Adrian Peterson spanked his children, and he should be executed and his team disbanded. Rice cold-cocks a woman he supposedly loved and the NFL is mean for not working with him, giving him another chance. Why? Because a punched woman isn't that big a deal for them. She "probably deserved it". Children, however... a woman may abort one, but a man can't spank one. That about cover it?
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The second angle. Did Peterson abuse the children? I don't know, I wasn't there. Maybe he did. Maybe because his parents got carried away, because their parents got carried away, maybe he got carried away. Personally, I don't think much about the idea of the hickory switch on a four-year-old's behind. And the crime? Pushing a sibling? Cussing a sibling? Where does a 4-y-o learn lack of respect? Could it be from a father with multiple baby-mamas, from mothers to whom the thought of having just one husband is foreign? I am beginning to think that the only comment of any intelligence in this whole debacle has been, "Somebody get that man a condom!"
Thinking about what I just said, about parents and their parents, I think, why not have AP use the same defense they want to use for the professor who struck the teenage pro-lifer?
“If she appears smiling on camera,” Prof. Boris continues, “she is ‘wearing the mask,’ that is, she is hiding her actual state through a strategy of self-presentation that is a cultural legacy of slavery.”
See, it was slavery what abused those kids- the cultural legacy of being whipped, passed down through the generations, until Adrian went too hard with the switch on his boy. Why is not the African American propaganda machine jumping to Peterson's defense from this angle, as they did Prof. Mirelle Miller-Young?
Oh. how stupid of me. The Teenager was against abortion. Children, however... a woman may abort one, but a man can't spank one.
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So am I one of those "who think child abuse is "cultural" or worse, openly advocate child abuse as a reasonable method of punishment"? How did I punish MY kids?
Never in anger, for one. I remember more than one time where the kids sat in their room and I sat in mine until I got perspective on whatever crime it was. One of those times was the 1,000,001st time that I told them to take dirty clothes from their room, down 6 arduous steps to my room, and put them in the hamper. I didn't get a switch. Didn't even spank them. I simply made them march back and forth from their room to mine, dropping imaginary clothes into the hamper, until I was satisfied.
Another time, I was at my end of my five-year old daughter having accidents. The last straw was the one that happened as KC and I discussed a trip to Target. Fed up, I sent her to get changed; when she was done, I announced we were going to "the baby store" to get her some "big girl diapers." KC was already sharp enough to play along. We loaded up in the car, and I watched Shenan from the rear view, pouting as ferociously as anyone ever had. Now and then I'd nudge KC, and he'd glance at the rear view and smile... and Shenan knew it. About halfway to Target, she burst out at him, "You wouldn't think it was funny if we were going to the baby store for you-hooo-hoo-waaaaah!"
Of course, after a hearty round of laughter, we let her in on the truth. Cruel? Maybe. But I don't remember having the problem again.
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So yes, I think the Vikings and AP have some hard choices coming up. And yes, I do know that their is a line between discipline and abuse- though I'm not altogether convinced it was crossed by Peterson. I do believe it has been crossed by idiots tracking down the charities he gives to, or people running discussion boards that can't handle discussion. And I do believe it has been crossed by at least one media outlet. KHOU in Houston ran with a story about a second abuse "accusation", conveniently releasing it within a half hour of the Vikings announcing that they were reactivating Peterson (and before their sponsorship dollars began dribbling down their leg and rescinding it). This one, THEY said, involved a complaint that was turned into CPS, and included text messages between baby mama and AP (now how do you suppose KHOU got those? Or should I say, what anonymous and well-paid-off employee of Houston CPS passed them along?). However, KHOU claimed they hit a dead end in that "no one at CPS seems to recall how the case came out" (translate: the truth wasn't as inflammatory as the innuendo)... but within the hour, a spokesman for Houston PD said the case had been dropped after a credible adult witness flatly denied any abuse and corroborated APs story.
Seems like somebody at KHOU had an ax to grind. Just like the Moderator at the message board.
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Thankfully, soon enough the ADHD radical libs will jump off this case as well. Where have you gone, Richie Incognito? Our PC police turn their bloodshot eyes to you... woo-woo-wooo... What's that you say, Mr. Peterson? Richie the Bully has left and gone away... hey hey hey... hey hey hey....
*sigh*
ReplyDeleteHere's the thing. When you become a parent you do one of two things, either parent the way you were parented, or the exact opposite. While I don't condone the use of a switch or a belt, I wasn't disciplined that way. Before I had kids I SWORE I'd never spank. THEN I HAD KIDS. My new stance is you do what is effective for the child (not the parent). As parents we sometimes need to be creative about how we get the point across.
I have no words for the Rice thing. It's their relationship. Period. Bottom line though is that they should be held accountable as any other person committing the crime.
Wold a "regular" person lose their job? Not likely. But the wife trying to make HIM the victim of persecution from the NFL is ridiculous. There are consequences for every action.... or maybe his parents never taught him that.
I am glad I can always count on you to be the first commenter on a really serious post. AP and Rice are both learning about consequences the hard way. Unfair compared to a normal joe? Maybe... but paraphrasing Spider Man, "With great fame comes great responsibility..."
DeleteYou racist child abusing bastige!
ReplyDeleteWhen I first heard this, my feeling was if we were okay with the State intervening in the Ray Rice incident (remember-she did not press charges, the state did), this was certainly more of the same, and with a victim who truly could not defend themselves.
And if he "caused an injury," which was what I heard reported (no details), that sounds extreme-my mother broke more than one cooking spoon on me, but it never hurt me as much as the loss of the spoon did her.
But once you let the State into your life, it's like the camel's nose under the tent...it's going to keep coming in.
Americans seem very willing to surrender their freedoms and privacy to let the State act on their behalf....until the State steps on THEIR toes.
The real lesson to learn here is that if you think no one is watching, think again...there's a camera everywhere.
Someone is watching YOU as you read this.
No, not CW....YOU. Did you really think no one tracked your internet activity to this page, you subversive radical?
Be afraid....be very afraid.
LC
There is a camera everywhere.... and not every one of them has your best interests at heart. Is it just me, or does it seem like every technological advance makes this a crappier world to live in?
DeleteChris:
ReplyDeleteHaving not had children yet (that I KNOW of anyway)...I think all of us can have SOME level of perspective on child-rearing...because we ALL were ONCE CHILDREN OURSELVES.
We knew which "buttons" to push, how far we could go before the "hammer came down", and how TO behave (in private or in public) as well as how NOT to behave (and suffer something we called CONSEQUENCES).
With that said, I have to APPLAUD your call on the whole NFL thing...you definitely NAILED it.
As for you acting "cruel"?
Nah...just CREATIVE, and that goes farther many times than a hand across the backside.
If there is any "down" side to this situation, it's that parenting WILL (again) take it on the chin (or is that the backside now?) and the "nanny-state" will indeed be spoiling more children by sparing the parent's rod.
There are times for corporal punishment, but it has to be done EARLY in a child's life (after they can walk, of course) and it has to be TAUGHT to them as to WHY they're being punished.
And it should never be severe enough to scar, harm, or otherwise inflict any sort of physical DAMAGE to that child.
If anything, the "scare" factor should be in play.
To withhold such from them to later years, tries to undo the lack of consequences they've enjoyed up to that time.
That causes problems that have long-reaching effects in their lives.
Excellent post.
Stay safe up there.
The whole discussion has led to one inescapable conclusion- that while spanking is still an effective disciplinary measure if used by an intelligent parent, the number of intelligent parents seems to be dwindling.
DeleteI spank my kids. Not with a switch and not for every offence. No, wait, that's not quite accurate. My seven year old gets spanked in severe situations. My four year old gets spanked for nearly everything. This is because a loss of a privilege or a grounding means something to my 7 year old, my four year old does not quite grasp the loss of a privilege or grounding. She does get sent to be early occasionally or put on time out.
ReplyDeleteI never spank when angry. In fact, when one parent is angry, the other handles punishment. If only the angry parent is available, time out is utilized until the angry parent can calm down.
After any punishment, conversation happens. Why were you (insert punishment here)? Why is that behavior not okay? What should you have done? How are you going to change this behavior in the future? I Love you. Do you believe that? You understand I will always love you, even when you do something that makes me sad, angry or disappointed? Do you still love me? Can I have a hug?
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Do I think AP was wrong? I don't know. I wasn't there. Do I think that he should lose his job? No. Or rather, not yet. I WAS accused of Child Abuse (not for spanking....the short version of the story is available at my blog) and my boss knew about it. I had to request time off for court and such. Granted, she was on my side and thought the charge was ridiculous. But still, I wasn't fired or put on leave. Had I been convicted and sent to jail, I would have been fired. Not because I was an abuser, but because while in jail I could not fulfill my end of my employment contract.
What do I think the NFL should do? He is a public figure who could be seen as a role model. Temporary suspension until the investigation and any court proceedings are over seems appropriate. If he is found guilty, fire him. They have a pretty strict domestic violence policy as part of their contract. Should fans jump ship? Not until all the evidence has been examined and the verdict is in.
If my favorite player was found to be abusing his girlfriend, wife, or kids, I would probably drop him as my favorite. I would not boycott the team, or trash all my stuff I paid good money for. I would just not keep him on a pedestal where my kids might see him and think that he was an acceptable role model. I looked into what Richard Sherman was like off the field before I put him on my phones wall paper and told my husband I want his jersey for Christmas. If I wouldn't want my son emulating you, you will not be my favorite player. End of story. But one bad player would not end my life long love affair with the Seahawks.(Not a band-wagoner, I grew up there and watched them and loved them even when they sucked).
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As for the Ray Rice thing.....84 instances of domestic violence in the NFL in the last 9 years is a really low percentage if you take into account how many players there have been. Most other professions have much higher percentages. Law enforcement has an alarmingly high rate of occurrence but most of those are never investigated much less prosecuted, and those are people who should definitely be put on leave while investigated and then fired if found guilty.
Sorry for the long winded-ness. I am a rather opinionated wench.
I think you brought up an important point here- the difference between effectively punishing a 4 year old and a seven year old. I saw one FB exchange that really brings the whole point home:
DeleteCommenter one: "Anyone who "punishes out of love" at all teaches their children that love is hollow and simply a tool used to justify exertion of one's will over those they have a relationship with. Patenting can only be done through calm, rational discourse with the child, who is inherently a rational creature, desiring without guidance to do what is morally right and selfless. "
Commenter two: "- Is your comment a joke? I honestly can't tell. "
Point being, There are some people out there, attacking parents who spank and charities who take money from them, who simply don't have the first clue about anything that remotely disagrees with their world view.
As for researching the player first- a good idea, but far from foolproof. The same Vikings just cut Jerome Simpson when they learned he broke probation by being busted in possession IN JULY. The team JUST found out. WTH? Of course, that may have been a matter of not WANTING to know- like the Pats and Aaron Hernandez.
And, as you know, I did read your blog post. I would definitely have to question the actions of the officer you explained to me. I realize, in the course of doing their jobs, some cops feel they have to put on the a-hole face. Some of them, unfortunately, find that they like that face, and that's a shame. To protect and to serve goes out the window. And certainly around here, we've had a bad summer of LEOs abusing their power. But yeah, that's an area where they should be fired if they engage in such activities, and one of the hardest to get someone fired from. Keyshawn on ESPN mentioned a judge that was convicted of misdemeanor domestic abuse- slapping his wife- and was allowed to keep his judgeship. Just sad.
And BTW, this was just the kind of comment I was hoping for- from all of you!