Irresponsible parents of the week

[wmw999 2,148]

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I suspect Florida favors stricter penalties because the population has a TON of seniors voting and they want 'special' treatment - so the members of legislature pander to them with nice sounding laws like this and they get more votes to do this stuff. just like any voting block that doesn't understand equality.

I think it also has to do with the relative powerlessness of seniors when they're in the care of family members.

In both cases, people would tend to discount the opinions of the children or elders who are in the care of "adults" in these care units. The law is to clarify that even if these people are in subordinate roles in these units in terms of authority, that doesn't make abuse OK.

Note: I did use the occasional swat on my offspring. I have a feeling he turned out just fine (not that I'm biased or anything
Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Andy9o8 0]

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this is a digression, but why would there be a different set of rules and penalties for that crime just based on being a senior vs any other citizen? Is it, then, ok to commit battery on a 25 year old? Is it less wrong?

Nope. But the legislatures of many states have decided that assaultive (and some other) crimes against seniors are more wrong. Some states' statutes work the policy into the offense itself, while others work it into the sentencing phase; 2 different approaches, same goal.

The reason, of course, is that seniors are more vulnerable and less able to defend themselves than the stronger, sharper people who abuse and/or exploit them. Almost..... child-like..... hmmm....

[SkyDekker 1,145]

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this is a digression, but why would there be a different set of rules and penalties for that crime just based on being a senior vs any other citizen? Is it, then, ok to commit battery on a 25 year old? Is it less wrong?

Nope. But the legislatures of many states have decided that assaultive (and some other) crimes against seniors are more wrong. Some states' statutes work the policy into the offense itself, while others work it into the sentencing phase; 2 different approaches, same goal.

The reason, of course, is that seniors are more vulnerable and less able to defend themselves than the stronger, sharper people who abuse and/or exploit them. Almost..... child-like..... hmmm....

Yup, so if it is ok to give a child an occasional slap/swat/tap to get your point across, you should be allowed to do it to a senior as well.

Or maybe it is a better option to not allow it to be done to either group.

[Skyrad 0]

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Probably swirlied, too.

What the hell is 'swirlied?'

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[Andy9o8 0]

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Probably swirlied, too.

What the hell is 'swirlied?'

http://www.wordnik.com/words/swirlie

[ryoder 1,398]

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Probably swirlied, too.

What the hell is 'swirlied?'

http://www.wordnik.com/words/swirlie

Does it count if they don't flush?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9twTtXkQNA

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[rehmwa 2]

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Yup, so if it is ok to give a child an occasional slap/swat/tap to get your point across, you should be allowed to do it to a senior as well.

Or maybe it is a better option to not allow it to be done to either group.

I appreciate the honesty of using "swat" in the description instead of the normal ramp-up of "hit" "assault" "knife wound" "axe strike" verbage normally used to inhibit the discussion.

(seriously)

It makes for a cleaner and more reasonable debate and your point is clear and made in a way that you have to look at it for what it is (a good point) rather than jumping off on a tangent.

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Andy9o8 0]

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Yup, so if it is ok to give a child an occasional slap/swat/tap to get your point across, you should be allowed to do it to a senior as well.

Or maybe it is a better option to not allow it to be done to either group.

I appreciate the honesty of using "swat" in the description instead of the normal ramp-up of "hit" "assault" "knife wound" "axe strike" verbage normally used to inhibit the discussion.

(seriously)

It makes for a cleaner and more reasonable debate and your point is clear and made in a way that you have to look at it for what it is (a good point) rather than jumping off on a tangent.

Antiseptic terms are often self-enabling and are sometimes intellectually dishonest.

Hitting is hitting. If it would be called "hitting" if done to an 85 year-old, then it's "hitting" when done to a 10 year old.

Is there such a thing as "swatting" as distinguished from "hitting"? Sure. Recently, I (being in my 50s) was with my mom (in her 80s) and family around the dinner table and casually dropped an f-bomb in conversation. She reached over, swatted my wrist and said, "Hey! Wash your mouth out!" My kids, who eff-word 5 times per sentence, thought it was pretty funny. That's a swat.

P.S., had I done that at age 13, she'd have slapped my face. That was hitting.

[ryoder 1,398]

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Yup, so if it is ok to give a child an occasional slap/swat/tap to get your point across, you should be allowed to do it to a senior as well.

Don't fuck with the old codgers!

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/local_news/water_cooler/gordon-besaw-blind-oklahoma-veteran-takes-down-would-be-attacker-in-broad-daylight

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[rehmwa 2]

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She reached over, swatted my wrist and

unacceptable violence, she should have found another way

are you ok?
did you call social services?
did it drive you gay? If so, have you either held a press conference, or quietly told your close friends?
I blame George Bush, and Obama.

I hope your family's history of violence doesn't keep you from buying guns.

(there, that covered most topics)

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[rehmwa 2]

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My kids, who eff-word 5 times per sentence, thought it was pretty funny. That's a swat.

P.S., had I done that at age 13, she'd have slapped my face. That was hitting.

here's the other bit...(I know you set this up).

So, when you were your kid's age, did you drop the F-bomb 5 times/sentence?
Perhaps the right amount of 'violence' is somewhere between a kind and gentle talking to (your style) and a slap in the face (your mom's old style).

I suspect a swat on the butt that startles but doesn't hurt, or even stings enough to make a toddler cry is probably close to the right balance when the talking to doesn't work.

YMMV, call it whatever makes you happy.

(have a good weekend)

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Andy9o8 0]

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She reached over, swatted my wrist and

unacceptable violence, she should have found another way

are you ok?
did you call social services?
did it drive you gay? If so, have you either held a press conference, or quietly told your close friends?
I blame George Bush, and Obama.

I hope your family's history of violence doesn't keep you from buying guns.

(there, that covered most topics)

I went right out and burned a flag.

[Andy9o8 0]

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So, when you were your kid's age, did you drop the F-bomb 5 times/sentence?

When I was their age I was in college. So: Yes.

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I suspect a swat on the butt that startles but doesn't hurt, or even stings enough to make a toddler cry is probably close to the right balance when the talking to doesn't work.

Nowadays my mom should always use her cane when she walks, cuz she's kinda wobbly, and at her age the risk & consequence of a fall is pretty serious. But I often catch her not doing so around her own place: "Oh, it's just for a minute, blah blah." Drives me nuts. Asking, begging, lecturing or yelling doesn't work. Next time she does it I'll swat, er, hit, her on the butt just hard enough to sting & make her cry. I'll even do it in front of a cop. Let's see how well that goes over.

[linebckr83 3]

So what makes spanking your kid not illegal?

"Are you coming to the party?
Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!"
Flying Hellfish #828
Dudist #52

[DanG 1]

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I went right out and burned a flag

But did you burn it for Jesus?

(I can't believe you people missed religion)

- Dan G

[Andy9o8 0]

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So what makes spanking your kid not illegal?

Well, I don't spank my kids. Plus, they're adults now, so if I did that it would be .... illegal.

[rehmwa 2]

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When I was their age I was in college. So: Yes.

ahh, age assumption disconnect. And for that matter, I just assumed you had a strong enough personality not to go that route at any age.



I don't get the mouthy thing at all for any age, but that's a different topic.

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[rehmwa 2]

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(I can't believe you people missed religion)

I don't miss religion, I just ignore it and hope it misses me.

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Andy9o8 0]

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I went right out and burned a flag

But did you burn it for Jesus?

(I can't believe you people missed religion)

I will do it for jihad.

[rehmwa 2]

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I will do it for jihad.

Who is this "Jihad", does she have big boobs?

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[linebckr83 3]

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So what makes spanking your kid not illegal?

Well, I don't spank my kids. Plus, they're adults now, so if I did that it would be .... illegal.

I didn't mean you specifically. According to the law, what makes a parent spanking their kid legal?

"Are you coming to the party?
Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!"
Flying Hellfish #828
Dudist #52

[Andy9o8 0]

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So what makes spanking your kid not illegal?

Well, I don't spank my kids. Plus, they're adults now, so if I did that it would be .... illegal.

I didn't mean you specifically. According to the law, what makes a parent spanking their kid legal?

Ah. Well, generally, in most US states, the old view of the law is that corporal discipline of juveniles by their parents or guardians (or those in loco parentis, such as teachers), within reason (whatever that means; and that evolves with the times) is deemed an exception carved out of the criminal assault statutes. The more modern view, to which I subscribe, is that such an exception should not and/or does not exist. According to this Wikipedia article, although corporal punishment is still legal in the US (except New Jersey & Iowa, where it's been outlawed), it's been outlawed in 32 countries.

[BillyVance 34]

32 countries is kind of a small minority in the world, for now anyway.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Andy9o8 0]

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32 countries is kind of a small minority in the world, for now anyway.

A simple raw number is of limited value. For what it's worth, here is a now-current list of those countries. It's actually 33 now via legislation, plus Italy via court decision; so call it 34. It's an interesting (and in some cases surprising) mix of nations, actually. I leave it to each reader to decide the value of this list:

http://www.endcorporalpunishment.org/pages/progress/prohib_states.html

[Kennedy 0]

If you really want to make your case, name the countries. Excluding super-patriotic jingoistic fuckwads, most folks would take into account whether it is countries and cultures worth brig compared to or not.

Or try to make the case on its merits instead of by comparitive shaming.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
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