Ohiogal
Queen Bee
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? All
I am concerned with the news stories I am seeing lately.
The NFL has a problem -- Ray Rice and others (too many to name) and the latest is Adrian Peterson.
http://www.alternet.org/culture/nfls-adrian-peterson-admits-beating-4-year-old-son-likens-markings-those-he-gives-his-other
Pictures are in the above link. The NFL has a problem. But more importantly THIS COUNTRY has a problem. Comments on all the articles for Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson seem to be attempting to excuse these men from beating up women and children. There is NO EXCUSE for laying your hands on someone else.
The four year old WAS NOT DISCIPLINED. Not at all. That was abuse. Abuse which Adrian Peterson admits to perpetrating. He calls it discipline. His fans excuse it (well some of them do) with the idea that THEY were beat with switches and that makes it okay because they turned out fine. No, they didn't turn out fine when they can excuse a four year old being bloodied. The other reasoning is -- he is talented, he is a great player, he works with disabled children and people are just being MEAN wanting him punished. The Minnesota Vikings have called AP a "good man" -- there is nothing GOOD about what are in the pictures. Until people stop excusing this behavior, it will not stop.
Now, the latest high profile cases have been NFL players -- but that doesn't mean it is only them. That doesn't mean it is a problem with men, or black men or athletes. Because it isn't. Women abuse men, women abuse children. Poor abuse each other, rich abuse each other. In juvenile court, the majority -- VAST MAJORITY -- 95% of my clients -- are lower class. Why? Because they have the least ability to HIDE the abuse. The rich can hide it. They can hide beatings. They can hide blood. They can hide neglect a lot longer than poor counterparts. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen in rich enclaves. Just that the rich have more resources available them to protect themselves.
We need to start saying it is NOT acceptable. I encourage everyone to report abuse. I encourage everyone to educate yourselves. I encourage everyone to take a stand by telling your friends and family what happened to Adrian Peterson's four year old is NOT acceptable. What happened to Ray Rice's wife is NOT acceptable. While Ray Rice's wife is an adult, Adrian Peterson's son is not -- he is a baby. He is a child. He can't self protect. He was not disciplined. He was beaten until he bled. He was hit on the thighs, testicles, back, buttocks and had defensive wounds on his hands. His father's comments about it are ignorant and ridiculous. Just because YOU were spanked doesn't mean this is acceptable.
Please for the love of all, say NOT ACCEPTABLE -- say it loud and clear. The other thing I know out of this -- that child still loves his father. He always will. But LOVE should NOT hurt!
ETA: And another part of this: Do not fraudulently claim abuse in divorce/custody proceedings. That is also harmful. Not the point of this but it is also harmful. And yes, SOME PEOPLE DO THIS!
I am concerned with the news stories I am seeing lately.
The NFL has a problem -- Ray Rice and others (too many to name) and the latest is Adrian Peterson.
http://www.alternet.org/culture/nfls-adrian-peterson-admits-beating-4-year-old-son-likens-markings-those-he-gives-his-other
Pictures are in the above link. The NFL has a problem. But more importantly THIS COUNTRY has a problem. Comments on all the articles for Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson seem to be attempting to excuse these men from beating up women and children. There is NO EXCUSE for laying your hands on someone else.
The four year old WAS NOT DISCIPLINED. Not at all. That was abuse. Abuse which Adrian Peterson admits to perpetrating. He calls it discipline. His fans excuse it (well some of them do) with the idea that THEY were beat with switches and that makes it okay because they turned out fine. No, they didn't turn out fine when they can excuse a four year old being bloodied. The other reasoning is -- he is talented, he is a great player, he works with disabled children and people are just being MEAN wanting him punished. The Minnesota Vikings have called AP a "good man" -- there is nothing GOOD about what are in the pictures. Until people stop excusing this behavior, it will not stop.
Now, the latest high profile cases have been NFL players -- but that doesn't mean it is only them. That doesn't mean it is a problem with men, or black men or athletes. Because it isn't. Women abuse men, women abuse children. Poor abuse each other, rich abuse each other. In juvenile court, the majority -- VAST MAJORITY -- 95% of my clients -- are lower class. Why? Because they have the least ability to HIDE the abuse. The rich can hide it. They can hide beatings. They can hide blood. They can hide neglect a lot longer than poor counterparts. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen in rich enclaves. Just that the rich have more resources available them to protect themselves.
We need to start saying it is NOT acceptable. I encourage everyone to report abuse. I encourage everyone to educate yourselves. I encourage everyone to take a stand by telling your friends and family what happened to Adrian Peterson's four year old is NOT acceptable. What happened to Ray Rice's wife is NOT acceptable. While Ray Rice's wife is an adult, Adrian Peterson's son is not -- he is a baby. He is a child. He can't self protect. He was not disciplined. He was beaten until he bled. He was hit on the thighs, testicles, back, buttocks and had defensive wounds on his hands. His father's comments about it are ignorant and ridiculous. Just because YOU were spanked doesn't mean this is acceptable.
Please for the love of all, say NOT ACCEPTABLE -- say it loud and clear. The other thing I know out of this -- that child still loves his father. He always will. But LOVE should NOT hurt!
ETA: And another part of this: Do not fraudulently claim abuse in divorce/custody proceedings. That is also harmful. Not the point of this but it is also harmful. And yes, SOME PEOPLE DO THIS!
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