Judge William Adams Caught Beating Daughter on Video

[aimeeandbeatles]

I tried to watch it. I couldn't.

 

[Behind The Mask]

I haven't seen one person say it was acceptable. If you think someone is implying it, you need to say who because you could very well be misreading what they said.

I could see how it may be mistaken.

The problem is people are to quick to defend corporal punishment, and then finally condemn this man.

Its all done is one breathe, a little space between the points would clear it up.

 

[dIZZyBlIZZy]

When parents get to that point, it's no longer about correcting a wrong, it's just venting frustration that a wrong has been committed. If you go that far, can you really remember why you punished a child to begin with? Having said that though, I've seen worse.

 

[NickyJ]

I could see how it may be mistaken.

The problem is people are to quick to defend corporal punishment, and then finally condemn this man.

Its all done is one breathe, a little space between the points would clear it up.

I don't really see how neglecting to read the whole post is really all that good of an excuse.

 

[useless]

I do not wish to be infracted, so i regret that i cannot.

 

[Behind The Mask]

I don't really see how neglecting to read the whole post is really all that good of an excuse.

Thats not what I'm saying at all; which brings up the point, comprehension.

At least in part, some of the posts start of with the corporal punishment justification:

Example:

The child did do something wrong, regardless about how you feel about it. As a judge I would expect him to treat literally breaking the law in his own home as a serious offense and she should be punished for it.

Whether she deserved the punishment she got, however, is what we are disgussing.

It's argued that it is possible "she got what she deserved", and that the punishment was probably appropriate maybe.

Its only the end where its said 'perhaps' it wasn't deserved.

This post could lead to some confusion yes?

 

[bhsup]

I do not wish to be infracted, so i regret that i cannot.

I'll just interpret that as "Nobody was really supporting this video, I just don't support corporal punishment and wanted to lash out at those that do."

 

[Artifis]

I do not wish to be infracted, so i regret that i cannot.

Well telling us who you thought supported William Adams' treatment of his daughter would certainly help. So long as you back up your statements with evidence and argumentation I don't see why that would lead to infractions.

 

[useless]

You interpreted wrongly, but i understand that it is difficult to defend corporal punishment, in such cases.

 

[Artifis]

You interpreted wrongly, but i understand that it is difficult to defend corporal punishment, in such cases.

Nobody has used this video to support corporal punishment. They're supporting corporal punishment while acknowledging that the events in this video are at the extreme side of the spectrum which no proper parent should ever go to.

 

[classical_hero]

I cannot believe that anyone could defend this...

Well she did deserve to be punished.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Was anyone else unable to watch the video? It just stressed me out too much.

 

[Artifis]

^ I could stomach it. But it made me very uncomfortable, plus it brought back a few bad memories of its own.

 

[katipunero]

i support mild and reasonable corporal punishment as a way to instill discipline or to teach the child a lesson. i also believe that there is a scientific and humane way to do it while getting the point across effectively.

parents have to be taught how corporal punishment is to be properly done should they choose to use that as a method to communicate an important lesson to their kids. also, corporal punishment should and must be restricted to a certain age or at a specific stage of a child's mental, emotional and physical development. if the kid's 17, i doubt corporal punishment is advisable.

having said that, Judge Adams went way way overboard. what he did to his daughter was unconscionable and shocking to the senses. this was maltreatment, battery and CHILD ABUSE plain and simple. what he did was an outrage.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Well she did deserve to be punished.

What is the appropriate punishment for a 16-year-old girl doing what millions of others do on a regular basis, even it was piracy instead of merely legally downloading games and songs which is what her statement insinuates? Striking her repeatedly on the legs with a belt? Striking her even once on the buttocks with a belt?

What I find so sickening about this particular incident is that this is a judge. It really makes me wonder about what sort of "justice" he has been dispensing to others.

And if it couldn't possibly get any worse, here is the full statement accompanying the video:

http://boingboing.net/2011/11/02/video-judge-beats-disabled-daughter-for-using-the-internet.html

Aransas County Court-At-Law Judge William Adams took a belt to his own teenage daughter as punishment for using the internet to acquire music and games that were unavailable for legal purchase at the time. She has had ataxic cerebral palsy from birth that led her to a passion for technology, which was strictly forbidden by her father's backwards views. The judge's wife was emotionally abused herself and was severely manipulated into assisting the beating and should not be blamed for any content in this video. The judge's wife has since left the marriage due to the abuse, which continues to this day, and has sincerely apologized and repented for her part and for allowing such a thing, long before this video was even revealed to exist. Judge William Adams is not fit to be anywhere near the law system if he can't even exercise fit judgement as a parent himself. Do not allow this man to ever be re-elected again. His "judgement" is a giant farce. Signed, Hillary Adams, his daughter.

 

[Artifis]

parents have to be taught how corporal punishment is to be properly done should they choose to use that as a method to communicate an important lesson to their kids. also, corporal punishment should and must be restricted to a certain age or at a specific stage of a child's mental, emotional and physical development. if the kid's 17, i doubt corporal punishment is advisable.

Heh. I went through corporal punishment even when I was 17. That being said, it was only in situations where my parents were driven really crazy.

I agree that corporal punishment may be effective at times. But my only worry is that there is, as Formaldehyde already said, there is simply too much possibility for the parents to cross the line. It's a very dangerous balance, one which I wonder is even worth taking.

 

[dIZZyBlIZZy]

Heh. I went through corporal punishment even when I was 17. That being said, it was only in situations where my parents were driven really crazy.

I agree that corporal punishment may be effective at times. But my only worry is that there is, as Formaldehyde already said, there is simply too much possibility for the parents to cross the line. It's a very dangerous balance, one which I wonder is even worth taking.

Of course the possibility to cross the line is there, because it's placed in different points by different people. And not just the severity. Example, some people really believe it's ok to allow an extended relative, a school, or even a neighbor to spank a child. It's not always as obviously overboard as the video.

 

[katipunero]

Heh. I went through corporal punishment even when I was 17. That being said, it was only in situations where my parents were driven really crazy.

I agree that corporal punishment may be effective at times. But my only worry is that there is, as Formaldehyde already said, there is simply too much possibility for the parents to cross the line. It's a very dangerous balance, one which I wonder is even worth taking.

wow 17? i was 12 when my mom forced me to kneel on rock salt for a good 30 minutes after i skinned the living room carpet and ripped the floor boards to create secret hiding places for my secret stuff. that was the last time i was physically disciplined iirc.

the sad thing about corporal punishment as whole is that parents lack the ability to calibrate the amount of physical pain they have to inflict. most are driven by some insidious passion to vent their own personal frustrations to a defenseless child. so the raison d'etre for doing it is no longer there.

 

[NickyJ]

most are driven by some insidious passion to vent their own personal frustrations to a defenseless child.

Sources? Statistics? Anything to back up your statement?

 

[Artifis]

Of course the possibility to cross the line is there, because it's placed in different points by different people. And not just the severity. Example, some people really believe it's ok to allow an extended relative, a school, or even a neighbor to spank a child. It's not always as obviously overboard as the video.

the sad thing about corporal punishment as whole is that parents lack the ability to calibrate the amount of physical pain they have to inflict. most are driven by some insidious passion to vent their own personal frustrations to a defenseless child. so the raison d'etre for doing it is no longer there.

Exactly. How do we know when enough is enough? Can we trust all parents to know the difference and to be able to see the line clearly? Can we trust that parents are not actually venting their own personal frustrations? There are certainly other ways to discipline your child, so should we even allow something so light as a slap to the face?

Oh dear... Asking all these questions is making me think of my relationship with my parents (one parent in particular)... And I'm just overcome with sadness at our imperfection...