Is it child abuse to whip your child with a belt? Conservative judge says no

[Count of Montesano]

This week a video was released of a prominent Texas judge beating his 16-year-old daughter with a belt for downloading pirated music. Judge William Adams claims that he was just disciplining his child and that there's nothing wrong with what he did. He thinks that strict discipline makes for good conservative American values. And its what Jesus would do.

Here's the original video:

LINK

And a video with commentary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOie3yTudbY

In full disclosure, I occassionally got spanked by my parents and even once in grade school by a nun. This however, completely crosses the line and I'm amazed anyone can defend it. First, his daughter is 16, not some little kid. That's pretty close to adult age, and American society does not condone using violence on your spouse or coworkers to change behavior. Secondly, the judge is wailing her on her legs and arms, and threatens to beat her in the face. In many states, any hits that cause extreme pain or threats to strike the face are considered child abuse, not discipline. I'm also pretty sure that cussing at your child and telling them you're going to f'ing beat them senseless is verbal child abuse, if not illegal battery. Thirdly, this guy is a family court judge who OVERSEES CHILD ABUSE CASES. A judge should be held to a much higher standard and at the very least should be censured for this video. Unfortunately, this video was taken several years ago and the statute of limitations has run out for criminal proceedings.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...n_1075284.html

[Squiggle]

How is that abuse? Where the hell did you grow up that a belt is some horrible weapon of torture and not simply a slightly more effective form of spanking for when the kid grows out of that?

[charles the hammer]

How is that abuse? Where the hell did you grow up that a belt is some horrible weapon of torture and not simply a slightly more effective form of spanking for when the kid grows out of that?

Its more of how the belt was used in the video, not to mention the sheer joy he has in the beating. I have been belted before, and its no where close to that.

[Squiggle]

Hitting her legs because she wouldnt sit still and let him hit her in the ass. Again...how is that abuse? Have you ever even been hit by a belt before? Satisfaction induced from rage or not, it doesnt make it abuse. At most it means the man has a [possible] sadistic streak.

[charles the hammer]

Hitting her legs because she wouldnt sit still and let him hit her in the ass. Again...how is that abuse? Have you ever even been hit by a belt before? Satisfaction induced from rage or not, it doesnt make it abuse. At most it means the man has a [possible] sadistic streak.

Yes that makes it abuse.

[Squiggle]

Well thats retarded and clearly you have zero experience with what your talking about.

[charles the hammer]

Well thats retarded and clearly you have zero experience with what your talking about.

Or you do not understand child abuse. Makes sense if you see this as normal, I mean if this is normal for you how can it be wrong?

[s.rwitt]

This guys screwed, everyone here in texas has been blasting him all week. I love how he's been promoted to "prominent conservative texas judge" though. As if his politics led him to beat his kid or ing Rockport is some prominent part of Texas.

[Ojf]

American liberals are far too soft, I think a lot of people would love having a dad around to discipline them in the first place. And it wasn't like he got drunk and randomly started beating her, she broke the law and could have ruined his reputation. Oh and if this is abuse, then parents have been "abusing" their kids for thousands of years.

[Lord Zhang Ku]

Hitting her legs because she wouldnt sit still and let him hit her in the ass. Again...how is that abuse? Have you ever even been hit by a belt before? Satisfaction induced from rage or not, it doesnt make it abuse. At most it means the man has a [possible] sadistic streak.

In most places in the US, as far as I know, any pain of the extreme variety against a child is indeed child abuse. Heck, to me the man's being a bad parent and hitting her for quite a minor reason. I don't download pirated songs myself, but the Judge's reaction seems overboard. She didn't even get a chance to sit down like he ordered before he began the belt beating. And by the sound of her voice, the man beats her often with the belt, although admittingly I wouldn't be a good judge of how often the belt is used based on voice alone. I couldn't even watch the beating for more then a few seconds without turning it off. This is abuse, pure and simple.

[charles the hammer]

American liberals are far too soft, I think a lot of people would love having a dad around to discipline them in the first place. And it wasn't like he got drunk and randomly started beating her, she broke the law and could have ruined his reputation. Oh and if this is abuse, then parents have been "abusing" their kids for thousands of years.

Wow, eight posts in and victim blaming starts. Impressive.

[Thorn777]

How is that abuse? Where the hell did you grow up that a belt is some horrible weapon of torture and not simply a slightly more effective form of spanking for when the kid grows out of that?

8 minutes...?

i think one or two strikes get the point across, everything else is sadism

[Yosemite]

How is that abuse? Where the hell did you grow up that a belt is some horrible weapon of torture and not simply a slightly more effective form of spanking for when the kid grows out of that?

oh the joys of brutes

if i were to beat my cousins for doing mistakes, i'd probably just end up sending them to the hospital
so i choose the civilised man's way: serious talk

of course, serious talk does not work with clowns, and clowns always end up using violence in order to impose themselves

how does it feel to be a barbarian?

[Matthias]

How is that abuse? Where the hell did you grow up that a belt is some horrible weapon of torture and not simply a slightly more effective form of spanking for when the kid grows out of that?

Did you watch the video?

You could seriously hurt someone whipping them with a belt, hell, even spanking if you do it too hard. 17 times, and not to mention threatening to "beat her into submission" seems abusive, not to mention a sign the guy has no control over himself, which can lead to abuse and bodily injuries.

The mom was trying to stop the dad, you could see she thought he was going too far.

Boy, that seems like a childhood hell. Reminds me of many horror stories of friends who grew up in conservative households. And as a form of discipline? Not very effective.

And for downloading music illegally? Well, Metallica should be happy with the punishment.

American liberals are far too soft, I think a lot of people would love having a dad around to discipline them in the first place. And it wasn't like he got drunk and randomly started beating her, she broke the law and could have ruined his reputation. Oh and if this is abuse, then parents have been "abusing" their kids for thousands of years.

You can discipline a child without beating them, and it has not been shown to be an effective form of discipline anyways. You don't discipline your child because of your reputation anyways. Now look at his reputation.

And yes, actually, parents have been abusing their kids for thousands of years. Just in the las couple centuries have children gained any sort of rights or protections from their parents in developed countries. And the parent-child relationship become much less brutal and savage. But I guess the "old paths" are best, right?

[The Doubtful Guest]

Screw this story, this thread is now about this far more awesome video in the "related" section.

[Lord Zhang Ku]

American liberals are far too soft, I think a lot of people would love having a dad around to discipline them in the first place. And it wasn't like he got drunk and randomly started beating her, she broke the law and could have ruined his reputation. Oh and if this is abuse, then parents have been "abusing" their kids for thousands of years.

American liberals? Causing pain to a child like this actually has reprecussions for the future.

Here's an article why beating a child is hermful in the long run:

http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/discipline-behavior/spanking/10-reasons-not-hit-your-child

Let me explain something. Justifying something because it's been done for thousands of years when it is detrimental to whomever it effects is just barbaric. Should we then legalize slavery then? It's been around for thousands of years. Should we also then legalize pillaging our enemies? Same thing.

[Squiggle]

8 minutes...?

i think one or two strikes get the point across, everything else is sadism

Did you watch the whole vid? He only lashes her maybe 6-7 times. Most of the vid is taken up by yelling and or her squirming around. The first 30 seconds alone are just an empty room...

[Visna]

How is that abuse? Where the hell did you grow up that a belt is some horrible weapon of torture and not simply a slightly more effective form of spanking for when the kid grows out of that?

Weird, where I grew up, a belt is an item of clothing, usually worn around the waist. We normally use them to hold up trousers. Alternatively belts can be kept in a closet until such a time when they will once again be used for that purpose.

Don't know how the law works in Texas, but as I understand the clip, it's up the parent to determine what measures to use when it comes to raising and disciplining a child. Is that correctly understood?

[s.rwitt]

Did you watch the video?

You could seriously hurt someone whipping them with a belt, hell, even spanking if you do it too hard. 17 times, and not to mention threatening to "beat her into submission" seems abusive, not to mention a sign the guy has no control over himself, which can lead to abuse and bodily injuries.

The mom was trying to stop the dad, you could see she thought he was going too far.

Boy, that seems like a childhood hell. Reminds me of many horror stories of friends who grew up in conservative households. And as a form of discipline? Not very effective.I he

And for downloading music illegally? Well, Metallica should be happy with the punishment.

I heard in conservative households you have to eat your own poop. I met a guy who lived in one for SIXTEEN YEARS. He would shake and cry anytime FOX news came on.

Don't know how the law works in Texas, but as I understand the clip, it's up the parent to determine what measures to use when it comes to raising and disciplining a child. Is that correctly understood?

No.

[torongill]

Well thats retarded and clearly you have zero experience with what your talking about.

I pity you and the twisted world you live in.