Does Precious Need a Spanking?         by Carl McMurray

 

ABC News carried a story, Nov. 28, of a bill being proposed in Massachusetts, that bans spanking your child, period. No spanking at school (21 states still allow this), no spanking in the parking lot (common sense and security cameras tell you this is a no-no), and no spanking in your own home.

 

            The progression of no-spanking liberalism continues to baffle me. Especially is this true in view of studies like the one cited in a 2002 article in PSYCHOLOGY TODAY which stated, in part, The study found correlations, but no direct link, between physical discipline and 11 negative behaviors. Hmmm,  no direct link between spanking and negative behaviors. But I thought that spanking caused children to be more violent?

 

            Robert E. Laselere, Ph.D, Dept. of Human Development and Family Science at Oklahoma State University sums up his conclusions nicely in the title of his 2008 paper, THERE IS NO SOUND SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT ANTI-SPANKING BIAS.  Enough said.

 

            In his book, NO FEAR, A POLICE OFFICER’S PERSPECTIVE, released in January of 2000, Detective Robert Surgenor went to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports for some surprising statistics that verified his own conclusions about the link between spanking and juvenile crime. While crimes by adults have decreased slightly over the last fifteen years in most categories, crimes by juveniles have exploded off the charts. Among children under the age of 17… murder has increased 150%, robbery increased 57.4%, arson increased 35.9%, carrying or possessing weapons increased 69.5%, and domestic violence has increased 348% (that’s kids assaulting their parents!).

 

            Before 1968 over 94% of American parents believed that spanking was a valid form of discipline. That percentage has dropped over the years. Tell me truthfully, was there more juvenile violence back then when children were being spanked, or today when they are being “talked” to?

 

            Nobody is more opposed to child abuse than I am.  Let’s be clear about it. No name calling, no adult temper tantrums or screaming at children, and no hitting. You burn, break, beat or sexually use a child and you admit you are mentally sick, and I will vote for the harshest punishment available for you. Hear that NAMBLA members?!? However, the one who equates hitting with a switch or a smack on chubby little legs is either purposely disingenuous or never got into a fight in high school.

 

            The increase in juvenile crime statistics above takes place over the same time period that our politically correct society has been spouting its distaste for Biblical standards and directions in raising our children. It has been during this time period that we have increasingly been listening to the “experts” and “specialists” who forbid spanking and write horrified articles of rebuttal against such primitive and violent methods of discipline. God continues to speak quietly to any who will listen, that the man who loves his son, disciplines him often, Proverbs 13:24: 23:13-14. And His truth is unfortunately proven out in the broken hearts and shattered lives of parents who “abused” their children by refusing to discipline them properly, Proverbs 10:1; 17:25; 19:26.

 

Maybe we just need to start spanking the “experts.” What do you think?