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SAUNDERS: There ought not to be a law on spanking
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 1/21/7 | Debra J. Saunders

Posted on 01/21/2007 7:54:37 AM PST by SmithL

ASSEMBLYWOMAN Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View, has announced that she will introduce a bill this week to make it a crime to spank children who are 3 years old or younger, punishable by up to a year in jail or a $1,000 fine. If this zany idea were to become law, California could be the place where the nanny state meets the authoritarian state.

It is more than ironic that a politician who wants to make it illegal for parents to apply their flat hands to their babies' bare bottoms is more than happy to allow the heavy hand of the law to yank parents from their homes and place them behind bars for disciplining their children in the way which they see fit and does not injure a child.

"I think we ought to have a law against beating children," Lieber told The Chronicle last week.

That's the problem. California does have laws against beating children. But in this politically correct atmosphere, do-gooders believe it is their right to pass laws that expand definitions beyond reason so that a spanking is a beating -- even when it isn't.

In effect, this is what Lieber is saying in proposing such a law: I know how to raise your kids and I am going to make it illegal for other parents to discipline their children in a way I do not like. If you don't do it my way, you can go to jail.

That's not how Lieber sees it, of course. She told me, "I haven't heard any convincing arguments as to why anyone would want to swat a 6-month-old or 1-year-old." As Lieber sees it, spanking is "not effective," children under 3 "don't understand it." And: spanking trains children "in violence and domination, even when it's moderate."

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: nannystate; nospanking; sallylieber; spankining; yourtaxdollarsatwork
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1 posted on 01/21/2007 7:54:38 AM PST by SmithL
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To: SmithL
"I think we ought to have a law against beating children,"

Child abuse is already illegal but I suspect the moron who said it knows that already.
2 posted on 01/21/2007 7:58:05 AM PST by cripplecreek (Peace without victory is a temporary illusion.)
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To: SmithL

Lieber is much loved in these parts.

3 posted on 01/21/2007 7:58:14 AM PST by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: SmithL

Spanking activist legislators should be mandatory.


4 posted on 01/21/2007 7:59:18 AM PST by PGalt
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To: martin_fierro; SmithL

Saw Lieber on tv this morning with Russert. She looks like one of those women who neither married nor had kids. Yes?


5 posted on 01/21/2007 8:00:51 AM PST by Veto! (Opinions freely dispensed as advice)
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To: martin_fierro

WOW! Cool house!! (hubby and I are bungalow fanatics)


6 posted on 01/21/2007 8:01:35 AM PST by To Hell With Poverty (If this city were any 'bluer', it'd be spelled 'bleu'.)
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To: SmithL

Unless they are a child abuser, I've never heard of anyone spanking a 6 month old.


7 posted on 01/21/2007 8:01:45 AM PST by proudofthesouth (Mao said that power comes at the point of a rifle; I say FREEDOM does.)
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To: SmithL
"I haven't heard any convincing arguments as to why anyone would want to swat a 6-month-old or 1-year-old."

Nice red herring -- six month old. What about an 18 month-old who keeps trying to open the oven Sally? Do you think maybe a smack on the hand will get the message across before they seriously hurt themselves? What about a two year old who's throwing a tantrum and trying to get out of their car seat on the freeway? What about a 2 1/2 year old who gets out of the stroller and is trying to run in the street, while you have another child in your arms Sally? Do you think a mild swat on the rear will settle things down there and save a life?

8 posted on 01/21/2007 8:02:20 AM PST by ElkGroveDan (When toilet paper is a luxury, you have achieved communism.)
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To: SmithL
There should be a law against parents that will not discipline their children. The ones that don't get spanked need it the most.
9 posted on 01/21/2007 8:03:01 AM PST by oyez
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To: proudofthesouth
Unless they are a child abuser, I've never heard of anyone spanking a 6 month old.

Neither has Lieber, I'll warrant. It was a red-herring argument, a tactic used frequently by Liberals and Conservatives alike.

10 posted on 01/21/2007 8:04:48 AM PST by Egon ("If all your friends were named Cliff, would you jump off them??" - Hugh Neutron)
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To: Veto!
She looks like one of those women who neither married nor had kids.

Google

11 posted on 01/21/2007 8:05:45 AM PST by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: SmithL

We all know that there ought not to be a law, Deb. There ought not to be a Campaign Finance Reform Law that no one but McCain wanted. There ought not to be a Trans-Texas Corridor that no one but Gov. Rick Perry wants.

However, what there ought not to be and what there is are two different things. Because money talks and BS walks.

Somebody stands to make a lot of money in the no spanking law.

Ans people stand to lose more rights and freedoms to control what happens within their homes and with their own children.

And, for politicians, that's what it's about.


12 posted on 01/21/2007 8:06:58 AM PST by DustyMoment (FloriDUH - proud inventors of pregnant/hanging chads and judicide!!)
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To: martin_fierro

Then she can't understand what it's like...Just ask Nancy P!!!


13 posted on 01/21/2007 8:07:41 AM PST by Dallas59 (HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007!)
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To: martin_fierro

Yea! Just look at the name of the street her Hdqtrs. sits on..Castro Street!


14 posted on 01/21/2007 8:11:00 AM PST by NobleEagle2004 ("You Are The 1st Brigade!"StoneWall Jackson)
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To: NobleEagle2004

Wrong Castro Street.


15 posted on 01/21/2007 8:12:00 AM PST by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: SmithL
That's not how Lieber sees it, of course. She told me, "I haven't heard any convincing arguments as to why anyone would want to swat a 6-month-old or 1-year-old." As Lieber sees it, spanking is "not effective," children under 3 "don't understand it."

The 'Terrible Twos' are called that for a reason - it's during this phase of development that children are using their newfound mobility to explore their environment. Curiosity is blossoming and they are learning volumes through their senses of touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing.

Cause and effect is a very large part of the learning process at this age. A toddler that touches a hot stove isn't going to keep touching it. A toddler that climbs up and touches one that just happens to not be hot will, though. Unless, of course, the parent supplies a swat or two at the time as a substitute for the burn.

Apparently either no one has pointed this out to Ms. Lieber, or she just doesn't grasp this obvious concept. Or maybe she simply pretends she never heard it because it contradicts her agenda.

16 posted on 01/21/2007 8:12:28 AM PST by Antonello (Oh my God, don't shoot the banana!)
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To: Dallas59

this leiber woman needs to keep her mouth shut..since she has no children, she has no right to set rules and/or regulations for those that do..Boxer said so..


17 posted on 01/21/2007 8:20:55 AM PST by GeorgiaDawg32 (I'm a Patriot Guard Rider..www.patriotguard.org for info..)
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To: cripplecreek; Dallas59; martin_fierro; ElkGroveDan; pissant

18 posted on 01/21/2007 8:22:44 AM PST by Enterprise (Drop pork bombs on the Islamofascist wankers. Praise the Lord and pass the hammunition.)
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To: martin_fierro
From your Google link...

Sally represents the 22nd District, considered the ‘Heart of Silicon Valley,’ where she lives with her husband David. They are proud to be active in neighborhood and community activities, enjoy hiking and windsurfing and take seriously their role as pet guardians for a politically astute black-and-white cat.

Not only does she not have kids, she doesn't own a pet either.

19 posted on 01/21/2007 8:25:23 AM PST by Egon ("If all your friends were named Cliff, would you jump off them??" - Hugh Neutron)
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To: SmithL
She told me, spanking trains children "in violence and domination, even when it's moderate."

I would support her if her efforts were against real causes: violence on most TV shows, cartoons, rap "music", much of the trash from Hollyweird, violent/bloody PC games, etc., as well as the murdering of children below the age of zero.

20 posted on 01/21/2007 8:52:14 AM PST by C210N (Bush SPIED, Terrorists DIED!)
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