Charles Barkley went on NFL Today with Jim Rome and gave this opinion on the Adrian Peterson case and on disciplining children. Barkley doesn’t think the word “beating” is the correct word to use when describing it, while Jim Rome feels that open wounds and bruises does not constitute discipline, it’s a beating.
“I’m from the South. Whipping, we do that all the time”
-Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley’s speaking from a 70’s point-of-view where this type of harsh discipline may have been more accepted. Although I can’t imagine that beating a child to the point of wounds should ever be accepted as proper discipline. The debate on spanking and things of that nature is a fine line to ride. A lot of people are standing up for Adrian Peterson’s right to discipline his child as he sees fit, while many are saying this is cruel and disgusting. This went far and above the level of some spanking and the fact he is only four years old makes things worse. The merits of corporal punishment can go back and forth all day long but let’s not label this as “discipline”. Whether you’re from the South, North, East or West this is not an acceptable form of discipline and let’s not assume that everyone from the south whips their kids as that is just a lazy stereotype to throw around. Plenty do not whip their kids and while this type of discipline may exist in 2014 it doesn’t change the fact that it’s illegal.
