Judge William Adams is a child abuser

[MrPopo]

One thing I would like to point out:

I personally believe that I have no call in someone's personal life unless they are family, close friends, or girlfriends. Now, through this, I believe that someone has the right to do anything they want in private, as long as they do not hurt themselves or others. If it is something not socially acceptable, then they should keep it to themselves.

So, as my parents have described since I still have yet to see it, the beating was not nearly as bad as I had imagined. I don't know how bad he hurt her, but if it didn't leave a mark or internal damage, I have no problem with it. It's his daughter, and he has the right to punish her as he sees fit.

Your statements are conflicting with each themselves. You're fine if they don't hurt others, but he's hurting others. What you're saying is as long as a beating is skillful enough it's fine. There's a lot of pain you can inflict without leaving a mark or causing internal damage. Again, stop using your horrible childhood as a barometer for determining what behavior is acceptable and what isn't.

[Hatta]

Why Popo. It almost appears that you are expressing empathy for someone unjustly punished by an authority figure. I am pleasantly surprised.

[brunoafh]

One other thing, what Zing said about the flower, I think I know what he means. Inazuma didn't seem to understand, which makes sense. It seems to harsh a punishment for not knowing. But at 5, I personally knew not to climb on the counter. If I did anyways and knocked over flour, I would get an extra lick or two, on top of my normal punishment. I think this is what Zing is getting at.

So you think it's okay to get beaten for knocking over flour at the age of 5? I hate to be blunt, but... are you fucking insane dude?

[MrPopo]

Why Popo. It almost appears that you are expressing empathy for someone unjustly punished by an authority figure. I am pleasantly surprised.

Ahh, the difference here is said authority figure is violating the law. The fact that the statute of limitations is up for this case doesn't change that fact. And I wouldn't call all examples that you and I disagree about "unjust punishment".

Plus, if you wanted you could completely remove empathy from it. The data shows that children who are victims of abuse tend to either become abusers themselves or hook up with abusers, which means their kids get abused. So what started as a single victim how becomes a whole family tree of victims down the ages. And the abusers frequently get into other kinds of trouble. It's in my best interest for our country NOT to be made up of a bunch of mentally scarred people.

[Michi]

To those of you arguing the point, parents can not just simply punish their child as they see fit. Spanking is one thing. Whipping a child for seven minutes with a belt is quite another. If he had done this in public, I guarantee there would have been several 911 calls. And if you listen to the interviews THATS why he turned the lights off before he started. Because he didn't want to risk anyone being able to see what he was doing. If he really felt he was justified in dolling out the punishment he wouldn't have cared who saw. But instead the entire room is dark and, if it weren't for the camera, done in secret.

I was watching a former prosecutor the other night and she summed it up nicely: If you can't do it to an adult then you certainly can't do it to your child. Which is really what some of you have been saying all along. If he had done this to his wife, or girlfriend or hell, just a stranger on the street then he would have been arrested and charged with assault.

[samsonlonghair]

Parents have the right to punish their children as they see fit.

They most certainly do not. Child abuse has long been illegal, and thankfully so.

I do not agree that belting your own child is child abuse.

Come one guys...seriously? You really think that's so bad? Sure, hearing a girl cry is unpleasant, but her Dad didn't hurt her that badly. She was still walking just fine at the end of that video which puts her in a better position than I was in after my parents got finished beating me for some trivial misdeed. I was regularly beaten far worse than that by my angry, violent, drunken mother and stepfather, but I grew up to be a reasonably sane adult.

So your argument is "I got it worse and I turned out ok"? That speaks to you being lucky, not to this being an appropriate manner of child rearing.

Negative. This speaks to the resiliency of children who grew up in abusive homes as I did.
For the record, I never argued that Adams manner of child rearing is appropriate. Belting his child is inappropriate. Nonetheless, it is normal, traditional, and within the boundaries of the law.

hear a lot of folks calling for Adams to be prosecuted. Get real. Parents have the right to punish their children as they see fit.

So by your logic a parent could remove a child's pinky with a cigar cutter if they thought it would improve discipline.

Reducto ad Absurdum. That is not my logic at all. No one would prescribe the Yakuza method for child discipline.

Plus, if you wanted you could completely remove empathy from it. The data shows that children who are victims of abuse tend to either become abusers themselves or hook up with abusers, which means their kids get abused. So what started as a single victim how becomes a whole family tree of victims down the ages. And the abusers frequently get into other kinds of trouble. It's in my best interest for our country NOT to be made up of a bunch of mentally scarred people.

Hasty generalization fallacy. What may be true of part of the population of abuse victims is not true of the whole population. Your argument is invalid because the rate of child abuse is declining, not perpetuating down the ages. See National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect NIS-4 Report to Congress. PDF
See also the Child Welfare bureau's most recent report to congress. PDF.

[o.pwuaioc]

Nonetheless, it is normal, traditional, and within the boundaries of the law.

So was child labor.

[MrPopo]

Nonetheless, it is normal, traditional, and within the boundaries of the law.

So was child labor.

And no, it's not within the boundaries of the law. The only reason no prosecution is going forward is because the statute of limitations is passed.

[pepharytheworm]

Maybe I missed it if it was mentioned, but why was she recording this?

By the way I hear all this talk about prosecuting the father for child abuse but its past the statute of limitations. Whats the statute of limitations on illegally downloading music/games?

[o.pwuaioc]

Maybe I missed it if it was mentioned, but why was she recording this?

Wasn't the first time it happened.

By the way I hear all this talk about prosecuting the father for child abuse but its past the statute of limitations. Whats the statute of limitations on illegally downloading music/games?

Copyright infringement:

§ 507. Limitations on actions

(a) Criminal Proceedings. — Except as expressly provided otherwise in this title, no criminal proceeding shall be maintained under the provisions of this title unless it is commenced within 5 years after the cause of action arose.

(b) Civil Actions. — No civil action shall be maintained under the provisions of this title unless it is commenced within three years after the claim accrued.