Only in California

[Smitty]

Yup folks,

We can't take care of immigration, but we can sure as hell try to legislate parenting:

Legislation would ban spanking young children

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — Spank your child, go to jail?

California would become the first state to explicitly ban spanking for children younger than 4 under legislation to be introduced next week.

Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, a Mountain View Democrat who is crafting the measure, said corporal punishment is victimizing helpless children and contributing to a society "addicted to violence."

There is absolutely no positive link between corporal punishment in earlier generations and their crime rates...Nope, none at all...The problem nowadays is that we obviously just aren't doing a good enough job of nurturing our youths' self-esteem right?

"The only thing a child learns by being beaten is that it's OK to beat or dominate children or animals that are smaller," she said.

Which explains my overwhelming urge to make Campbell finish her dinner, while torturing a helpless hampster.

Critics blasted Lieber's proposal Thursday as excessive, saying it would step on parents' toes and force judges to decide whether a swat was a spank, a nudge, a push or a "love tap."

Assemblyman Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, said he does not condone abusive practices but that a swat, judiciously applied, should be left up to parents. "If I was talking in church, I'd get thumped in the head with a prayer book once in awhile," Gaines said. "It worked."

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken no position on the measure, press secretary Aaron McLear said.

Three guesses as to how many children the good Assemblywoman has...

Good lord, somebody save me from this state.

Smitty

 

[atmospheric]

Sorry Smitty, it's not only California:

http://www.nospank.net/n-d31.htm

 

[Smitty]

http://www.nospank.net/n-d31.htm

Which, of course, WebSense, in its high mindedness, blocks.

Smitty

 

[Scott Huish]

I don't remember everything I got spanked for as a kid, but it's probably a safe bet to say that I didn't do it again. But I do distinctly remember that if all you got was a talking to, you got away with it.

 

[Andrew Fergus]

It's not just California Smitty - our wise and learned leaders [/sarcasm] recently passed a similar bill here (last month? can't remember and don't care). The children that need protecting from their parents won't be helped by this law (they need more drastic measures) and the parents that follow this law will raise a generation of brats. We actually need to protect ourselves from politicians and their wacky idealogies.

Just my 2c
Andrew

 

[Smitty]

We actually need to protect ourselves from politicians and their wacky idealogies.

You mean that generation of brats?

The same generation of nitwits who decided that nurturing our youth's self-esteem was so important that we can't keep track of score in youth sports, because everyone has to be a "winner"? And you wonder why there are so many mis-directed, pants-around-the-***, brats running around cussing at their teachers & elders. Because their parents are namby pamby simps who never got a good beating. Hell, they get more life direction from their IPod's & cell phones than their "parents".

It reminds me of a great quote by Jack Nicholson from that awful movie "As Good As It Gets":

Secretary: "How do you write women so well?"

Nicholson: "I think of a man, and then I take away reason and accountability."

That's what stupid laws like this do...I for one will be a scofflaw and continue to swat my daughter when she misbehaves and I'm not going to worry about the %$#&* thought & morality police.

I'm with Scott:

I don't remember everything I got spanked for as a kid, but it's probably a safe bet to say that I didn't do it again. But I do distinctly remember that if all you got was a talking to, you got away with it.

The six/seven words in my house you never wanted to hear:

"I'm going to tell your father" & "You wait until your father gets home"

I firmly believe that a healthy dose of fear brings a great deal of respect and sure as hell makes you consider the consequences of what you do before you do it. (Most of the time).

Of course, then comes college and all that goes out the window.

Smitty

 

[Joe4]

The same generation of nitwits who decided that nurturing our youth's self-esteem was so important that we can't keep track of score in youth sports, because everyone has to be a "winner"?

Yes, this part really get's me going. If no one ever loses, how does one learn to be a good loser (or a gracious winner)?

Unfortunately, in real life, you need to deal with losses and disappointments. We do our children no favors by shielding from "losing", especially with things that are so unimportant like games. Ironically, it is usually the parents that get more worked up over kids' sports losses than kids do.

 

[Smitty]

Ironically, it is usually the parents that get more worked up over kids' sports losses than kids do.

It's a very sad thing when some parents take it too far and interfere with the game. But if you take a step back, those are probably the ones for whom a spank was a beating.

And they're the ones who could probably benefit the most from learning about sportsmanship by watching their kids.

Smitty

 

[NateO]

On a lighter note...

Here's something else you would only see in California:

That particular Jeep Grand Cherokee, with the hood open, sitting beside the Lambo, has 620 bhp, and launches from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds!!!!

That's faster than some of the more efficient algorithms I have drafted!

 

[steve case]

Nate should get a level for his camera.

Spanking? It's a freedom issue, do we have the freedom to raise our children the way we see fit, or not?

Every law enacted takes freedom away from somebody.